[Anchor]
The Trump administration has long pressured its allies to increase defense spending.
At this summit, President Lee Jae Myung officially announced South Korea’s plan to raise its defense budget.
There was also reported progress in discussions on “modernizing the alliance.”
Reporter Yang Min-cheol has more.
[Report]
From his opening remarks, President Trump presented what’s being called a “security bill,” urging South Korea to purchase more American weapons.
[Donald Trump/U.S. President: "South Korea is a big buyer of military equipment and we're going to talk about that also."]
Since the launch of Trump’s second term, Washington has consistently pressured Seoul to raise its defense spending to around 5% of GDP.
In response, President Lee officially declared an increase in the defense budget.
[President Lee Jae Myung: "We will increase our defense budget. The additional spending will be used to build a ‘smart, strong military’ by introducing advanced science, technology, and assets."]
South Korea effectively accepted the demand for higher defense spending first, likely selecting this as a relatively manageable issue among broader security agendas.
Currently, South Korea’s defense budget is 61 trillion won, with plans to increase it to 84 trillion won within four years.
There are also discussions of including indirect defense costs, such as military infrastructure and R&D expenses, in the tally.
The presidential office also announced progress in discussions on “modernizing the Korea–U.S. alliance.”
[Wi Sung-lac/National Security Adviser: "The focus of modernization is to adapt to the changing regional security environment and to modernize in a way that allows us to play a greater role in that process."]
This signals South Korea’s intent to take a more proactive role in peninsula security. President Lee also emphasized that “America’s defense commitment will remain ironclad,” dismissing concerns about any reduction in U.S. military presence.
Meanwhile, key issues such as expanding the “strategic flexibility” of U.S. Forces Korea and increasing Korea’s share of defense cost-sharing were reportedly not discussed.
This has been Yang Min-cheol, KBS News.
The Trump administration has long pressured its allies to increase defense spending.
At this summit, President Lee Jae Myung officially announced South Korea’s plan to raise its defense budget.
There was also reported progress in discussions on “modernizing the alliance.”
Reporter Yang Min-cheol has more.
[Report]
From his opening remarks, President Trump presented what’s being called a “security bill,” urging South Korea to purchase more American weapons.
[Donald Trump/U.S. President: "South Korea is a big buyer of military equipment and we're going to talk about that also."]
Since the launch of Trump’s second term, Washington has consistently pressured Seoul to raise its defense spending to around 5% of GDP.
In response, President Lee officially declared an increase in the defense budget.
[President Lee Jae Myung: "We will increase our defense budget. The additional spending will be used to build a ‘smart, strong military’ by introducing advanced science, technology, and assets."]
South Korea effectively accepted the demand for higher defense spending first, likely selecting this as a relatively manageable issue among broader security agendas.
Currently, South Korea’s defense budget is 61 trillion won, with plans to increase it to 84 trillion won within four years.
There are also discussions of including indirect defense costs, such as military infrastructure and R&D expenses, in the tally.
The presidential office also announced progress in discussions on “modernizing the Korea–U.S. alliance.”
[Wi Sung-lac/National Security Adviser: "The focus of modernization is to adapt to the changing regional security environment and to modernize in a way that allows us to play a greater role in that process."]
This signals South Korea’s intent to take a more proactive role in peninsula security. President Lee also emphasized that “America’s defense commitment will remain ironclad,” dismissing concerns about any reduction in U.S. military presence.
Meanwhile, key issues such as expanding the “strategic flexibility” of U.S. Forces Korea and increasing Korea’s share of defense cost-sharing were reportedly not discussed.
This has been Yang Min-cheol, KBS News.
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- S. Korea to boost defense budget
-
- 입력 2025-08-27 00:27:26
[Anchor]
The Trump administration has long pressured its allies to increase defense spending.
At this summit, President Lee Jae Myung officially announced South Korea’s plan to raise its defense budget.
There was also reported progress in discussions on “modernizing the alliance.”
Reporter Yang Min-cheol has more.
[Report]
From his opening remarks, President Trump presented what’s being called a “security bill,” urging South Korea to purchase more American weapons.
[Donald Trump/U.S. President: "South Korea is a big buyer of military equipment and we're going to talk about that also."]
Since the launch of Trump’s second term, Washington has consistently pressured Seoul to raise its defense spending to around 5% of GDP.
In response, President Lee officially declared an increase in the defense budget.
[President Lee Jae Myung: "We will increase our defense budget. The additional spending will be used to build a ‘smart, strong military’ by introducing advanced science, technology, and assets."]
South Korea effectively accepted the demand for higher defense spending first, likely selecting this as a relatively manageable issue among broader security agendas.
Currently, South Korea’s defense budget is 61 trillion won, with plans to increase it to 84 trillion won within four years.
There are also discussions of including indirect defense costs, such as military infrastructure and R&D expenses, in the tally.
The presidential office also announced progress in discussions on “modernizing the Korea–U.S. alliance.”
[Wi Sung-lac/National Security Adviser: "The focus of modernization is to adapt to the changing regional security environment and to modernize in a way that allows us to play a greater role in that process."]
This signals South Korea’s intent to take a more proactive role in peninsula security. President Lee also emphasized that “America’s defense commitment will remain ironclad,” dismissing concerns about any reduction in U.S. military presence.
Meanwhile, key issues such as expanding the “strategic flexibility” of U.S. Forces Korea and increasing Korea’s share of defense cost-sharing were reportedly not discussed.
This has been Yang Min-cheol, KBS News.
The Trump administration has long pressured its allies to increase defense spending.
At this summit, President Lee Jae Myung officially announced South Korea’s plan to raise its defense budget.
There was also reported progress in discussions on “modernizing the alliance.”
Reporter Yang Min-cheol has more.
[Report]
From his opening remarks, President Trump presented what’s being called a “security bill,” urging South Korea to purchase more American weapons.
[Donald Trump/U.S. President: "South Korea is a big buyer of military equipment and we're going to talk about that also."]
Since the launch of Trump’s second term, Washington has consistently pressured Seoul to raise its defense spending to around 5% of GDP.
In response, President Lee officially declared an increase in the defense budget.
[President Lee Jae Myung: "We will increase our defense budget. The additional spending will be used to build a ‘smart, strong military’ by introducing advanced science, technology, and assets."]
South Korea effectively accepted the demand for higher defense spending first, likely selecting this as a relatively manageable issue among broader security agendas.
Currently, South Korea’s defense budget is 61 trillion won, with plans to increase it to 84 trillion won within four years.
There are also discussions of including indirect defense costs, such as military infrastructure and R&D expenses, in the tally.
The presidential office also announced progress in discussions on “modernizing the Korea–U.S. alliance.”
[Wi Sung-lac/National Security Adviser: "The focus of modernization is to adapt to the changing regional security environment and to modernize in a way that allows us to play a greater role in that process."]
This signals South Korea’s intent to take a more proactive role in peninsula security. President Lee also emphasized that “America’s defense commitment will remain ironclad,” dismissing concerns about any reduction in U.S. military presence.
Meanwhile, key issues such as expanding the “strategic flexibility” of U.S. Forces Korea and increasing Korea’s share of defense cost-sharing were reportedly not discussed.
This has been Yang Min-cheol, KBS News.
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