U.S. pressures South Korea to raise defense budget

The White House said on June 26 that Asian allies, including South Korea, should increase their defense spending in line with NATO member states. The move is widely seen as a full-scale push by the Trump administration to demand higher defense contributions. In response, the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has reportedly conveyed to the White House that decisions on defense spending are a matter of national sovereignty. However, with summit talks between the two presidents ongoing, the South Korean government is reportedly considering the possibility that the United States may link increased defense spending to tariff negotiations and is preparing countermeasures.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt replied, during the briefing on the same day about NATO s agreement to increase defense budget to 5% of GDP, that the allies and friends in the Asia-Pacific region can raise the spending if the European allies, or NATO member states can do that. However, she noted that the specifics are for President Trump himself to address.

The South Korean government maintains that the defense budget should be decided independently, based on both internal and external security conditions as well as the country’s fiscal situation. A senior government official said President Lee has emphasized that defense spending is a matter of national sovereignty.

Unlike NATO, which has a formal collective defense system with the United States, South Korea has no agreement with the U.S. on defense spending. This makes it difficult to link tariff negotiations with defense spending issues. Still, reports say a variety of negotiation strategies are being prepared, especially after President Trump threatened to double tariffs on Spain for opposing increased defense spending and amid talks of reducing U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com