Paying a foreign military to squat on your own soil? Congratulations South Korea! You've just signed an unequal treaty without even needing a war. Even the Qing government of China would at least put up a fight before signing it, but this is SK.Whatif SK doesnt pay, will they leave?
"Seoul and Washington have reached a new agreement to share the cost for US forces stationed in the Asian country, South Korea's foreign ministry said Friday. Under the five-year deal that lasts until 2030, South Korea will pay 1.52 trillion won ($1.14 billion) for the US stationing in 2026, up 8.3% YOY."
South Koreans will argue that they want those US troops for protection. Why? Aren't South Koreans some kind of "master race"? If you're so mighty already, why can't you take on the "barbarians" to your north and north east without your daddy's help?
This is just good old fashioned colonialism. How did the Brits colonized the Raj and Malaya? By offering "protection" to the various kingdoms there. Those who don't want it gets whacked by rival kingdoms with British support. Overtime, the Brits started to put "advisors" into those allied kingdoms and slowly took over running those kingdoms. Then those kings or sultans were either coerced, forced out, or volunteered to hand over their kingdoms to the Brits. SK is a kind of an American neo-colony. If Uncle Sam one day decides to annex SK as a US overseas territory, people like President Yoon would gladly agree to that for a nice retirement life at Miami.