Defense expenses, nuclear weapons, Ukraine...U.S. presidential election results show Korean Peninsula impact ？

Trump "Korea is Money Machine...Pressure
to receive 13 trillion wonHarris and Trump's North Korea policies, including North Korea's nuclear program, are also widely recognized
Trump's election could affect South Korea's North Korea policy stance
Trump Criticizes Supporting Ukra..."End the war early".

[Anchor]
The results of the U.S. presidential election are also important to us because they have a significant impact on the security of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea's nuclear program, including defense cost sharing, has been the biggest issue between South Korea and the U.S., and recently, North Korea's dispatch of troops has also coincided with the war in Ukraine, raising interest in the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.

Reporter Kim Moon-kyung reports.

[Reporter]
The most realistic problem is the cost-sharing of defense.

Earlier this month, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to 1.5 trillion won, an 8.3% increase in South Korea's contribution to 2026.

If Vice President Harris is elected, the agreement will continue, but former President Trump is pressing 13 trillion won a year, nine times the current level, raising the possibility of renegotiation if elected.

[Donald Trump/ Former U.S. President] If I were in the White House now, I would pay $10 billion a year. They would have been willing to do so. Korea is a money machine.]

There are also mixed perceptions on North Korea policy, including the North Korean nuclear issue.

Former President Trump prioritizes intimacy with Chairman Kim Jong-un, and Vice President Harris prioritizes sanctions and pressure.

[Camala Harris / U.S. Vice President: It is well known that Trump exchanged love letters with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. (Dictators) are well aware that they can manipulate you with kindness and kindness.]

[Donald Trump / Former U.S. President: When we go back to the White House, we will get along well with Chairman Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un is also hoping and missing me. It's a good thing to get along with someone who has a lot of nuclear weapons.

If former President Trump is elected and unconditionally puts dialogue ahead, it is expected that our North Korea policy stance, which has emphasized peace by power, will also be affected.

North Korea's dispatch to the war in Ukraine is an unexpected variable, and we are also in a complicated calculation.

Vice President Harris emphasizes victory for liberal democratic forces,

[U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris] I will continue to stand with Ukraine and work to win the war. For security and prosperity, for security and prosperity, the United States must carry out its long-standing role of global leadership.]

Former President Trump criticizes Ukraine's support and says he will end the war early.

If former President Trump is elected and reduces or stops supporting Ukraine, our position to respond step-by-step, such as providing weapons of destruction, against North Korea's dispatch is likely to be affected.

In the meantime, both Democrats and Republicans have deleted "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization," or CVID, which has been maintained for the past 20 years as a goal of denuclearizing North Korea, ahead of the presidential election.

The government drew a line on policy changes, saying that no matter who is, the willingness to denuclearize North Korea between the two countries is firm, but attention is being paid to the direction of the next U.S. government's North Korea policy as the solution to denuclearization is expected to be different.

I'm Kim Moon-kyung of YTN.

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video: Ma Young-hoo