The U.S. has failed to reach an agreement with South Korea on the cost of keeping U.S. troops in the country.
The existing deal between the two countries expires on December 31st, and negotiations that ended yesterday in Seoul were the last talks scheduled this year. South Korean lawmakers have said Washington wants up to five-billion-dollars a year for the U.S. to keep some 28-thousand troops in the country.
A survey released Monday found that South Koreans overwhelmingly oppose paying more. That may be why the U.S. negotiator is softening his stance on the figure that is more than five times higher that what was agreed on last year.
Source:Reuters