S. Korea weighing response as U.S. moves to demand higher defense budget, extra costs towards alliance

The recent consensus by members of NATO to raise their defense spending by five percent of their respective GDP over the next decade is looking to have tangible implications on U.S. allies here in this part of the world including South Korea.

Our senior correspondent Oh Soo-young explains.

U.S. President Donald Trump seems set to call on Asian allies to increase their defense budgets, after European countries bowed to his demand to hike their spending targets to five percent of Gross Domestic Product.

In a briefing on Thursday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said if America's "European allies in NATO can do it, then "allies and friends in the Indo-Pacific region can do it too."

Leavitt added that specific matters would be addressed by President Trump.

The previous day, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, during its annual summit in the Netherlands, adopted a joint statement with all 32 member countries, agreeing to raise their respective defense expenditures to a total of five percent of GDP by 2035.

Representing South Korea, National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac attended the summit, after which he told the Korean media that NATO's budget increase "reflects a broader trend," and that "similar demands are being made of Seoul."

Wi said such demands are being discussed by working-level officials, but clarified that they haven't yet established how the agenda would proceed.

South Korea will have to decide how to respond, he said.

U.S. officials have recently been pushing for alliance modernisation, which entails its security partners spending more on their defense, paying for the deployment of U.S. strategic assets, and reassessing the role of American forces stationed abroad.

U.S. Acting Ambassador to Seoul, Joseph Yun said on Wednesday that the two allies should address "new areas," concerning costs, that are not covered in their bilateral defense cost-sharing agreement reached last year.

Seoul appears to be maintaining caution amid sensitive discussions.

The Foreign Ministry on Thursday released an official statement saying it will continue working closely with Washington to develop the alliance into a "future-oriented, comprehensive strategic alliance" that can respond to a changing security dynamic.

A senior official told reporters that the two governments are engaging frequently at various levels.

However, when asked whether their talks include defense spending or the costs of deploying strategic assets, the official said it is "difficult to share," and declined to comment on what a "future-oriented alliance" entails.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.