South Korea on Friday pushed back against U.S. demands to sharply increase its defense budget, saying its current spending is already among the highest relative to GDP for U.S. allies.
“Among key U.S. allies, South Korea is one of the countries that has a high defense spending ratio compared to its GDP,” the Defense Ministry said, according to Yonhap News.
The remarks followed comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said all U.S. allies should aim to spend 5% of GDP on defense. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Thursday this figure now represents the “global standard.”
South Korea currently spends 2.32% of GDP on defense, totaling 61.2 trillion won ($44.8 billion) for 2025 — up 3.1% from the previous year. Reaching 5% would mean doubling that figure to 132 trillion won.
Seoul stressed that it has steadily increased its defense spending in response to ongoing threats from North Korea. “We continue to strengthen our defense capabilities amid a stern security environment,” a Foreign Ministry official said.
Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea. While there have been reports of possible troop withdrawals, Washington has denied any such plans.
President Donald Trump, speaking during his campaign last year, said South Korea would be paying “$10 billion a year” for the U.S. military presence. “We have 40,000 troops in harm’s way, very serious, because you have North Korea’s very serious power. They have tremendous nuclear power,” Trump said.
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Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing his family.
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar, according to local media reports.
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps in protest against persistent congestion from heavy truck traffic and tourism.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with a reduced majority compared with previous polls.
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing his family.
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar, according to local media reports.
South Africa's preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered an unexpected setback after the national team failed to depart for Mexico as scheduled on Sunday (31 May) because some players and officials had not yet received their visas.
Five people have died after a mine shaft collapsed during an illegal mining operation in southwestern China, state media reported on Sunday (31 May), just days after the country's deadliest mining disaster in more than a decade claimed at least 82 lives.
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