U.S., South Korea agree on military payments

[unhappycamper]

U.S., South Korea agree on military payments
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jan 16, 2009 6:00:41 EST

WASHINGTON — The United States and South Korea have reached an agreement for Seoul to help pay for the continued presence of U.S. troops in that country.

The five-year agreement, signed Thursday in Seoul, has South Korea paying about $692 million in 2009. The amount would increase in subsequent years according to the rise in the cost of living index, with a maximum 4 percent annual cap.

South Korea is set to take wartime command of its troops in 2012. Under the half-century-old alliance, which started with the U.S.-led response to North Korean invaders in 1950, South Korea currently would put its forces under U.S. command if war should break out again.

The United States has some 28,000 troops in the South.


Article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_skorea_troops_011509w/%2e