South Korea Weighs US Request to Boost Defense Spending Amid NATO Hike

The Trump administration is urging Asian allies, including South Korea, to increase their defense spending to levels comparable to NATO's target of 5% of GDP, as part of a broader push to share the security burden more equitably. South Korea is engaged in ongoing discussions with the U.S. regarding this demand, with officials acknowledging that progress on trade negotiations may influence defense spending talks. South Korean leadership emphasizes that decisions on defense budgets remain a matter of national sovereignty, considering internal security and fiscal conditions, and notes that South Korea already has one of the highest defense spending ratios among U.S. allies, currently at 2.3% of GDP. Despite the absence of a formal agreement like NATO's collective defense system, the U.S. reportedly may link defense spending to tariffs and troop deployments, prompting South Korea to prepare countermeasures. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted that if European NATO allies can increase spending, Asia-Pacific partners can similarly raise their defense budgets. South Korea hosts approximately 28,500 U.S. troops, underscoring the strategic importance of the alliance amid these negotiations.