U.S. accepts S. Korea’s proposal to pay local USFK base workers

The US Defense Department announced Tuesday that it reached an agreement with the South Korean government regarding the payment of wages to local workers who are on unpaid leave at U.S. military bases in South Korea, who will settle the wages. The decision was reached after the US accepted South Korea’s proposal to settle the wage issue amid prolonged disputes on the sharing of U.S. military troops based in South Korea.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced that South Korea would pay 200 million dollars for the wages of Korean workers at U.S. military bases throughout the year. The South Korean government had proposed to cover the cost of wages which account for a significant portion of the shared costs and deduct the amount from the shared cost after the negotiations settle. Thanks to the decision, some 4,000 local workers who had been on unpaid leave since April 1 will be able to return

to work around June 15.

“The decision has allowed a more equitable sharing of labor costs between both countries, boosting preparedness for the alliance,” emphasized the U.S. Defense Department. The South Korean government welcomed the outcome, commenting that it had re-confirmed both countries’ willingness to promptly settle the negotiation. However, some predict that the U.S. may increase pressure on South Korea to expand share of costs, demanding to do its own share.


lightee@donga.com