Seoul: The National Assembly of South Korea has approved the ratification of a new defense cost-sharing deal with the United States for hosting American troops, marking a significant step toward formalizing the agreement. The Assembly passed the motion at its plenary meeting, following the endorsement by the parliament’s foreign affairs committee earlier in the day.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the consent given at the plenary meeting brings the agreement into effect, with no further congressional approval required from the United States. The agreement outlines the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), a five-year deal determining South Korea’s financial contribution toward the upkeep of the 28,500 U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) personnel.

The newly approved 12th SMA, effective until 2030, stipulates that South Korea will pay 1.52 trillion won (approximately US$1.19 billion) in 2026, representing an 8.3 percent increase from the 1.4 trillion won in 2025. This agreement comes in the wake of previous negotiations
where former President Donald Trump had demanded a substantial increase in Seoul’s share, which he criticized as inadequate.

The deal was signed last month just before the U.S. presidential election on November 5. There has been speculation that South Korea aimed to conclude the agreement early to avoid potentially challenging negotiations if Trump were to return to office, given his past demands for Seoul to contribute as much as $50 billion.