A new defense cost-sharing deal between South Korea and the United States has gone into effect. 

According to a senior official at Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, the two countries informed each other of the completion of the domestic procedures for the implementation of the tenth Special Measures Agreement after the South Korean parliament ratified the deal on Friday. 

The official said he expected the enactment of the deal will provide stable conditions for U.S. Forces Korea and significantly contribute to the strengthening of the bilateral alliance.

Under the one-year contract signed last month, South Korea will increase its contribution by eight-point-two percent from last year to about one-point-04 trillion won to maintain the 28-thousand-500-member U.S. Forces Korea. 

The allies plan to launch negotiations regarding shared defense costs for next year and beyond as early as the first half of this year.