Trump’s remarks on base ownership calm concerns over US withdrawal, experts say

U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that his country should seek ownership of the Korean land hosting American military bases has prompted questions about his underlying motives. While there are concerns about potential future ownership disputes, experts say the remarks also showed his intention to maintain U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. Trump said during a bilateral meeting with President Lee Jae Myung in Washington on Monday (local time) that, given the U.S. investment in building bases such as U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, the largest overseas U.S. military installation, he would like to “get rid of the lease and get ownership of the land.” Trump is not entirely correct. The roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in Korea operate on land provided by the ally without paying any fees. Moreover, the Korean government covered the vast majority of construction and expansion costs for USAG Humphreys, located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Over the past decade, the U.S. military has significantly consolidated its presence in Korea, shifting from numerous scattered installationWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times