The cost-sharing agreement between South Korea and the United States for the presence of US troops in the country, known as the Defense Cost Sharing Agreement, has been steadily increasing each year. However, a recent report highlights that while South Korea’s share of the costs has been rising, the proportion allocated to Korean workers has been shrinking. This has led to concerns that funds meant for improving the stability and conditions of Korean workers are being diverted to military construction and support expenses for US forces.
In 2021, Korean worker wages accounted for 47.3% of the total defense cost sharing, but by 2023, this had decreased to 39.8%. In contrast, military construction costs showed a significant increase over the same period. The lack of specific regulations on how the defense cost sharing funds are allocated has raised questions about the impact on Korean workers’ employment stability and conditions.
Legislator Yoon Hu-deok has emphasized the need for reforms to ensure that a larger portion of the funds is directed towards Korean workers’ welfare and employment stability, calling it a crucial issue in the Defense Cost Sharing Agreement. The current trend of decreasing wages for Korean workers despite the overall increase in defense cost sharing highlights the necessity for a more equitable distribution of funds.
Shin Hyung-cheol, Reporter
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