South Korea and the U.S. have cut short their latest round of talks on sharing the cost of stationing American troops on the Korean Peninsula.<br />The talks that began Monday were supposed to last through Tuesday but they decided to end this round having failed to narrow their differences.<br />For more, we connect to our foreign ministry correspondent Kim Min-ji on the line.<br />Min-ji, fill us in<br />Devin, it's an unprecedented development.<br />Less than two hours after the talks began this morning,... Seoul's foreign ministry announced that the talks had come to an abrupt close.<br />It said that negotiations did not go as initially planned... as Washington was seeking a massive increase,... while Seoul is unchanged in its stance that the figure must be fair and acceptable.<br />Just about an hour ago... Seoul's chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo who's been leading the South Korean team held a press briefing where he told reporters that the U.S. was trying to drastically raise Korea's share by establishing new articles under the cost-sharing agreement.<br />He said that Seoul's stance is unchanged and that the figure must be mutually acceptable and within the framework of the special measures agreement.<br />Jeong added that they will do their best to ensure Seoul shoulders a fair share in a way that strengthens the alliance.<br />I understand the U.S. side also hastily arranged a press conference earlier today?<br />That's right.<br />U.S. chief negotiator James Dehart said that the proposals put forward by Seoul were not responsive to their requests for fair and equitable burden sharing.<br />He added that the talks were cut short in order to give Seoul some time to reconsider and put forward new proposals that would enable both sides to work towards a mutually acceptable agreement in the spirit of their alliance.<br />He didn't take any questions from the press... but we were told that the U.S. side walked out of the negotiations first.<br />Since 1991,... Seoul has shared defense costs with the U.S. under the Special Measures Agreement.<br />Under the current one-year deal which expires at the end of the year Seoul agreed to pay 870 million U.S. dollars,... an increase from the previous deal of more than 8 percent.<br />This time, Washington reportedly called on Seoul to pay five billion U.S. dollars which is more than a five-fold increase.<br />While officials in Seoul say that a date has been set for the next round of talks... some readjustments may be needed... given what happened Tuesday.<br />Mind you, the year-end deadline is approaching... but if the two sides are unable to conclude an agreement... Seoul and Washington did make it possible to extend the agreement.... in preparation for a possible lapse.<br />Back to you Devin.<br />
