South Korea and the U.S. will hold the seventh round of defense cost-sharing talks from Aug. 27 to 29 in Seoul. The negotiations aim to determine South Korea’s contribution to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) stationed in the country after 2026. The current agreement, set to expire in 2025, increased South Korea’s 2021 contribution by 13.9% to around $893 million (1.1833 trillion won) per year.

The talks resume just two weeks after the previous round, intensifying efforts to reach an agreement before the U.S. presidential election in November. South Korean officials emphasize seeking a “reasonable level” of contribution. The current agreement