{ "error": "", "type": "text", "title": "Remarks by President Trump at the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing - South Korea", "slug": "remarks-by-president-trump-at-the-coronavirus-task-force-in-press-briefing-south-korea", "text": "
\"Q Yes. Another \u2014 a different question about South Korea. There are reports that you are personally negotiating with President Moon the terms of reduction of U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula, and that there are four scenarios involved. Can you confirm that? And, if so, what is your desired outcome?<\/p>\n
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think that South Korea \u2014 I had a great talk with President Moon. He\u2019s a friend of mine. I congratulated \u2014 he had a wonderful election victory. I was very happy about that. He was \u2014 as you know, just recently.<\/p>\n
No, we are negotiating for President Moon and for South Korea to help us monetarily, because we \u2014 as you know, we have 32,000 soldiers there. That varies from 28- to 32,000 in South Korea. And we think that, before I came aboard, they paid very little, if anything. So we\u2019re defending a wonderful nation \u2014 a nation that we have great relationships, but we\u2019re asking them to pay for a big percentage of what we\u2019re doing. It\u2019s not fair. So, it\u2019s not a question of reduction; it\u2019s a question of will they contribute toward the defense of their own nation.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re defending nations that are very wealthy. South Korea is a very wealthy nation. They make our television sets. They make ships. They make everything. And I give them great credit.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve been defending them for many, many decades, as you know. Many, many \u2014 over eight decades. And I\u2019ve gone to them in the past. Last year, I went to them and now they\u2019re paying a billion dollars a year. And I went to them again, I said, \u201cLook, I\u2019ll be back because that\u2019s just a fraction.\u201d And again, the relationship is great, but it\u2019s just not a fair relationship.<\/p>\n
We renegotiated the trade deal and made it a much more equitable deal than it was in the past. It was a terrible deal. It was done by Hillary Clinton. It was a terrible deal. The new deal is a much more equitable deal \u2014 that\u2019s on trade.<\/p>\n
But, on the military, I mean, we\u2019re paying for the military for \u2014 to defend another nation that\u2019s 8,500 miles away. And they\u2019re not the only one I\u2019m talking to you, by the way, as you know. I won\u2019t go into names, but I\u2019ve done this. Nobody talks about it, but I think it\u2019s appropriate. I think the taxpayer of our country \u2014 taxpayers \u2014 want to hear these things. And so now they\u2019re \u2014 they\u2019ve offered us a certain amount of money, and I have rejected it. I just said, \u201cIt\u2019s just \u2014 look, you know, we\u2019re doing a tremendous service.\u201d We have a wonderful feeling and a wonderful relationship with each other, but we have to be treated equitably and fairly. And so that\u2019s where it is right now. And what\u2019s going to happen, I can\u2019t tell you, but we\u2019ll find out fairly soon.<\/p>\n
But I congratulate the President, who is a friend of mine \u2014 I congratulate President Moon on having a terrific victory.\"<\/p>", "quote": null, "citation": "