정경두, 美 국방장관과 ‘주한미군 한국인 근로자 문제’ 논의
Seoul's defense chief asked his American counterpart to seek ways to resolve the issue of thousands of South Korean employees at U.S. military bases being put on unpaid leave.
During the phoner, Jeong Kyeong-doo emphasized the allies should prioritize efforts to provide some sort of payment or separate deals for these workers.
The move to put the employees on furlough is widely seen as an attempt by the U.S. to gain an advantage in the defense cost-sharing talks.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper tweeted that it is critical that the two sides get a "fair, balanced, and comprehensive agreement"... signifying Washington's opposition to a separate wage deal.
