US and South Korean officials are gathering in Hawaii this week to address the cost-sharing arrangements for American forces stationed in South Korea. The United States seeks a fair and equitable agreement to bolster the alliance. The meeting, part of the 12th ROK-U.S. Special Measures Agreement, aims to reach a consensus before any potential comeback by former President Donald Trump in the November elections. South Korea has gradually assumed the financial burden of the deployment since the early 1990s. The US currently maintains over 28,000 troops in the region to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.