US denies reports of seeking 20% troop funding boost from South Korea

The deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement, technically expires at the end of this year. But both sides are likely to agree to some sort of temporary extension as they negotiate

The US denied a report that it’s demanding South Korea pay as much as 20 per cent more to host American troops, as funding talks between the two nations continue.

The 10 per cent -20 per cent figure referred to in Korean media is “ungrounded speculation,” a Trump administration official said by email. US negotiators will seek a “fair and equitable” outcome at the next round of talks in early January, the official said.

Last month, US negotiators walked out of a meeting on troop funding in Seoul after South Korea balked at a $5 billion price tag for hosting US troops