Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim at the meeting at the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea. (Image: Reuters) “North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, whom I know (and like) have never respected the current president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in,” Trump said in a statement. “President Moon is weak in leadership and negotiation, except regarding the severance of long military ties with the US … We’ve been treated like idiots for decades. But I have cost them billions of dollars to protect and enjoy our services, ”Mr. Trump said. “The Biden administration will not even ask for billions of dollars that South Korea has agreed to pay us,” Trump said. During his tenure, Mr. Trump has always identified himself as the leading peace negotiator on the Korean peninsula. Washington maintains about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to protect the country from North Korean nuclear weapons, as well as to protect American interests in Northeast Asia. Under the agreement, Seoul agrees to pay 1.18 trillion won ($ 1.03 billion) in 2021, and subsequent increases depend on the defense budget. That amount is equivalent to an increase of 13.9% from the roughly $ 920 million that Seoul paid under the 2019 expiration agreement, but far below the $ 5 billion per year amount initially claimed by Trump.

The former US president has criticized the South Korean president as “weak” as a leader and negotiator. “We have been treated like idiots for decades. However, I have made them pay billions of dollars more for the cost of the defense the US provides,” he stressed. “The Biden administration has not asked for the additional billions of dollars that Korea has agreed to pay us,” Mr. Trump added, referring to incumbent President Joe Biden. During his presidency, former President Trump has identified himself as the leading negotiator in peace talks on the Korean peninsula. He first met Mr. Kim during the first summit between the two countries in June 2018 in Singapore. The two later expressed good sympathy for each other. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP. The two leaders have met twice again during Trump’s time in office, and North Korea has suspended nuclear and missile tests. However, analysts say Pyongyang will continue to push ahead with its weapons programs. In March, South Korea agreed to pay an additional 13.9% for the cost of maintaining US forces stationed in the country. Thus, the six-year “special measures agreement” will replace the previous US-Korean agreement that expired at the end of 2019. Under the new agreement, Seoul will agree to pay 1,180 billion won ($ 1.03 billion) for 2021. This is lower than the $ 5 billion required by Trump, but this is the largest annual increase in the near future. 2 decades. The financial dispute has rippled the two countries’ security alliances since Trump has repeatedly accused South Korea of ​​being a “stalker”. Washington currently has about 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect the country from its nuclear-armed neighbor North Korea, while also protecting US interests in Northeast Asia.

President Moon told The New York Times: “I hope Mr. Biden will become the historic president to take a substantial and irreversible step forward for complete denuclearization and reconciliation. vase on the Korean peninsula “. Mr. Donald Trump and Mr. Kim Jong-un met in Singapore in June 2018. Photo: The Straits Times Referring to the former US president, Mr. Moon said: “Mr. Trump has handled the roundabout and cannot be successful in this regard. The most important starting point for both governments is to have goodwill to dialogue and face to face with each other soon “. Moon also urged the United States to cooperate with China on North Korea and other issues, and warned that if tensions between the two world economic powers intensify, North Korea can take advantage of the situation. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border between the two countries in 2018. Photo: Reuters The US-North Korean talks and the unprecedented diplomatic interaction between Trump and Kim quickly deteriorated after the two countries failed to reach a substantive agreement on denuclearization and sanctions lifted. After Mr. Biden took office, North Korea quickly rejected efforts to restart negotiations and warned the US should refrain if “wants to rest for the next four years”. North Korea also conducted its first major weapons test since Mr. Biden took office in March by firing two ballistic missiles into the sea.