Trump suggests US to own land for army bases in S-Korea

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States should own the land where its military bases are located in South Korea, rather than leasing it. Speaking alongside South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Monday, Trump highlighted that the US has made significant investments in infrastructure on the Korean Peninsula and currently stations over 40,000 troops there. However, he pointed out that the land under these military facilities is still leased from Seoul.

“I’d like to ask them to give us ownership of the land where we have the big fort,” Trump remarked, without specifying which base he was referring to. The largest US base in South Korea, Camp Humphreys, was completed in 2018 after a massive relocation project costing billions, shared by both the US and South Korea. The US operates its overseas bases under long-term lease agreements and Status of Forces treaties, which give the US operational control while maintaining the host country’s legal sovereignty.

Trump also noted that during his first term, South Korea agreed to cover the costs of maintaining US troops, but President Joe Biden reversed that arrangement. “We were getting paid billions of dollars. But then Biden ended that for whatever reason,” Trump said, calling the decision “unbelievable.”

Trump’s comments align with his broader view that US allies should contribute more financially for American defense commitments, whether through direct payments, increased military spending, or stronger economic ties. He has made similar demands to NATO members, arguing that US taxpayers should not bear the “disproportionate burden” of global security.

South Korean President Lee has not publicly responded to Trump’s proposal. North Korea, for its part, has long criticized the US military presence as an occupation force, condemning joint drills with Seoul as preparations for invasion.

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