保護費：90億美元/年

【Comment】

天下無白吃的午餐。想要外國駐軍保平安，當然要提供香油錢。

以韓國為例，駐軍分攤是以條約〈特別措施協定〉(Special Measurement Agreement) 形式確立這筆「防衛軍事分攤」 (Defense Burden-sharing of the Ministry) 的，從2014年起每年9200億韓圜（約86.7億美元，而美國原先要求94億美元），得根據消費者物價指數調整。

有趣的是，許多報導都語焉不詳，認為5年9200億韓圜而非每年9200億韓圜。

這筆錢，韓國外交部強調還必須經過國會與人民同意後簽署正式協定，以使駐軍有穩定的環境以及韓國政府能穩定支付。

根據美軍駐軍沖繩的經驗，背後還有故事，只有少數人政治人物（如外交部常任官員）知悉。

這樣說來，馬政府與中國簽訂不經國會同意的各種協定，本來就讓協議本身處於不穩定狀態。

這顯然不會是北京所期望的。

思いやり予算５．８％増　韓国、米軍駐留で○共同社（2014.01.12）http://sankei.jp.msn.com/world/news/140112/kor14011217170005-n1.htm

　韓国外務省は１２日、在韓米軍の駐留経費の向こう５年間の韓国負担分（思いやり予算）を決める米韓政府間の協議が妥結し、ことしは昨年比５．８％増の９２００億ウォン（約９００億円）になると発表した。来年から２０１８年までは物価上昇率に応じて引き上げられる。

　米韓間では１９９１年に在韓米軍の駐留経費の一部を韓国が負担する制度が導入され、数年に１度ずつ負担額交渉が行われてきた。韓国の野党から負担金の中には使っていない金もあると指摘されるなどし、同省は米韓が負担金の透明性を高めることでも合意したと説明している。（共同）

ROK and the US Conclude the Ninth Special Measures Agreement○韓國外交部（2014.01.12）

http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/press/pressreleases/index.jsp?menu=m_10_20

1.  The Republic of Korea and the United States concluded their ninth Special Measures Agreement on January 11, 2014.  The ROK and the US delegations to the negotiations were led by Hwang Joon-kook, Ambassador for Defense Burden-sharing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Eric John, Senior Advisor for Security Negotiations of the Department of State, respectively.

Under the new five-year SMA effective from 2014 through 2018, the ROK will shoulder 920 billion won in 2014. The annual rate of increase in the ROK's share of the defense cost in 2015-2018 will be tallied through the application of the consumer price index (CPI) of two years before to its share in the year before but will be capped at no more than 4 percent.

2.  In the course of the negotiations, the ROK government worked to produce reasonable results that are acceptable to the National Assembly and the ROK people, while considering the need to provide a stable stationing environment for the US Forces Korea and the ROK government's financial capacity to contribute.

3.  In particular, the ROK government, given that the SMA has been in place for over 20 years, engaged in the negotiations with a focus on improving the SMA and relevant practices in a way that befits the 60-year-old ROK-US alliance.  As a result, the two sides, for the first time since signing their first SMA in 1991, agreed to make improvements in the full range of the SMA practices.

4.  The two countries will formally sign the ninth SMA upon completion of their respective domestic procedures necessary for the conclusion of the agreement (deliberation by the Ministry of Government Legislation followed by a review at a Cabinet meeting and then presidential approval in Korea).  As soon as the SMA is formally signed, a bill for its ratification will be submitted to the National Assembly.

Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

Call for U.S. consideration on pending issues amid Korea`s concessions○東亞日報（2014.01.13）http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2014011392718

Korea and the U.S. have concluded 10 rounds of negotiations over annual defense costs that will be applied over the next five years.  Korea has agreed to pay 920 billion won (867 million U.S. dollars) to the U.S. this year, a 5.8 percent increase from 869.5 billion won (820 million dollars) that Seoul paid last year.  This hike in percentile is larger than the 2.5 percent increase that was set at their 2009 talks, but Korea’s share of the defense cost is somewhat smaller than 1 trillion won (940 million dollars), which the U.S. initially demanded.

Washington requested Seoul to significantly increase the latter’s portion in defense cost sharing by citing the American troops’ beefed-up defense readiness due to heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula and U.S. defense budget that was sharply slashed due to the cuts of sequestration.  Since reinforcing the defense capability of the U.S. forces Korea is a critical factor for Korea’s security, Seoul cannot disregard Washington’s demand.  Defense costs that Korea pays are used to support military construction and military supplies for American troops and labor costs for Korean workers. The special measures agreement (SMA) on defense cost sharing should be ratified by the National Assembly and fine-tuning of the figures could be made in the process of parliamentary ratification.

The U.S. forces Korea had more than 1 trillion won (940 million dollars) that remained unspent, including a portion that was unused from the defense cost paid by Korea, and a surplus fund, earning distrust from the Korea side. The U.S. explained that unspent budget is created because it implements budget by the unit of project rather than by annum.  Nevertheless, suspicion was raised over whether Washington is making excessive demand for defense cost sharing.  Unlike the situation thus far, Korea will hold prior consultations and coordination with the U.S. from the budget allocation phase.  For military construction projects, Seoul and Washington agreed to hold prior consultations at different levels ranging from the working level to ministerial level.  If Korea can verify whether the amount of money it pays is properly used, distrust in defense cost sharing will be eased.

The two countries have yet to hold negotiations over revision to the bilateral nuclear treaty and another postponement of the transfer of wartime operational control.  On the nuclear talks, the two sides delayed the deadline by two years to 2016, but have yet to narrow major differences despite nine rounds of talks.  The planned transfer of wartime operational control is scheduled in December 2015, but it is uncertain whether the transfer will be postponed again.  How negotiations over these issues are concluded will determine not only Korea’s security but also the nation’s nuclear technology development and the future of export.  Since Korea has made concessions in the talks over defense cost sharing, the U.S. should make sincere efforts to resolve the remaining issues.