Source: ABC News
“South Korea’s president vowed Wednesday to sharply increase defense spending and build a more self-reliant military, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda raises questions about the U.S. security commitment to its Asian ally. A tariff war instigated by Trump’s administration and his transactional approach to security threaten to erode many South Koreans’ trust in the U.S. There are concerns that he may demand much higher South Korean payments for the U.S. military presence in the country or possibly downsize America’s military footprint to focus more on China. … To boost a self-reliant defense posture, Lee [Jae Myung] said his government would increase next year’s defense spending by 8.2% to introduce advanced weapons systems like AI combat robots, autonomous drones and precision-guided missiles.” (10/01/25)