(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. hold 5th round of talks on defense cost sharing

South Korea and the United States began a new round of negotiations Wednesday on the sharing of the cost for the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), officials said. The three-day talks in Seoul mark their fifth round since the two countries launched the negotiations in April to renew the deal on determining how much Seoul should shoulder the cost for stationing the 28,500-strong U.S. troops. The six-year deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), is due to expire at the end of next year. Linda Specht, the lead negotiator from the U.S., released a statement saying that Washington "looks forward to engaging in the fifth round of consultations with our ROK counterparts," referring to South Korea's formal name. South Korea has called for an agreement that will set its share at "a reasonable level," and the U.S. has stressed the goal of reaching "a mutually acceptable" deal. The SMA talks come as South Korea appears to be seeking an early deal to avoid tough bargaining in case former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to the White House. Under Trump's presidency, Washington had demanded more than a fivefold increase in Seoul's payment to US$5 billion. The current SMA committed South Korea to paying $1.03 billion for 2021, a 13.9 percent increase from 2019, and increasing the payment every year for the subsequent four years in line with the rise in Seoul's defense spending. Since 1991, Seoul has partially shared the cost for Korean USFK workers; the construction of military installations, such as barracks, as well as training, educational, operational and communications facilities; and other logistical support. Source: Yonhap News Agency