Seoul, Washington fail to agree on cost of US troops; US denies $5 billion demand

USPresident Donald Trump has accused South Korea of being a rich nation that is profiting off theUSmilitary forces, which are stationed in the country as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War and continued threats from North Korea.

South Korean lawmakers have saidWashingtonis seeking up to $5billiona year to support thetroops- more than five times the amountSeoulagreed to pay this year.

But theUS's chief negotiator James DeHart told reporters after Wednesday's meeting that "($5billion) is not the number we are currently focusing on in the negotiation," according to Yonhap News Agency.

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"We have been coordinating and compromising. But the figure weagreeon will be very different from our initial proposal and will also be different from what we are currently hearing from the Korean side," he added.

As part of his 'America First" policy, Trump hasdemanded that manyUSallies, including NATO members and Japan, pay more towards defence.

The lack of a deal in the talks led on South Korea's side by chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo, could result in a repeat of last year when the two countries missed a year-end deadline but reached a retroactiveagreement in the new year.

Some experts, bothUSand Korean, have warned that if noagreement is reached, it could throw the future of theUSpresence in South Korea into doubt.

The next set of talks will be in the United States in January, with the exact timing still to be determined.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said their negotiators emphasized the need for "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptableagreements," that will strengthen the alliance.

"The two sides have expanded their understanding of each other through many discussions despite differences in their positions on various issues, and decided to continue close consultations," it said in a statement.

The dispute has been a rare public sign of discord in the alliance that has for 70 years formed a buffer against North Korean aggression. The two Koreas remain technically at war after the Korean War ended in a truce but not a peace treaty.

There have been several public protests in South Korea against theUScalls for more money, and a survey by the Chicago Council of Global Affairs found that only 4per centof South Korean respondents saidSeoulshould meet Trump'sdemands.

On the other hand, 74 per centof those questioned said they supported the long-term stationing of Americantroopsin South Korea.

If no deal is reached, the most immediate effect may be on thousands of South Korean civilians who work for theUSmilitary and who could be placed on unpaid leave.