U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Sung Kim and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se signed the U.S. –ROK Special Measures Agreement Feb. 2. The agreement will be submitted to U.S. and ROK legislatures for ratification.

Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, participated in the signing ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with Hwang Joon-Kook, Ambassador for the Special Measures Agreement Negotiations; Deputy Defense Minister for Policy Lt. Gen. Yoo Jeh-Seung; Maj. Gen. Christopher Owens, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Korea; and other dignitaries. The new five-year SMA establishes the framework for ROK contributions to offset the costs associated with the stationing of U.S. Forces Korea on the Korean Peninsula.

“The SMA strongly positions the Alliance to meet the call by Presidents Obama and Park in their May 7, 2013, Joint Declaration to continue to strengthen and adapt the U.S.-ROK Alliance to serve as a linchpin of regional peace and stability,” said Kim.

Since 1991, Special Measures Agreements have served as a pillar of the shared commitment to the defense of the Korean Peninsula by combined U.S. and ROK forces. The majority of SMA funding is re-circulated throughout the Korean economy via salaries and benefits paid to Korean workers, supply and service contracts with Korean firms, and the implementation of local construction work.

Under the new SMA, the ROK will provide 920 billion won, (approximately $866.6 million) in 2014. The ROKG will continue to provide cost-sharing support in the areas of labor, logistics and construction.
 

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