Two U.S. senators reportedly urged the U.S. administration to reconsider its demands for a sharp increase in South Korea's contribution to costs for the upkeep of U.S. troops stationed in the country.

According to the Voice of America on Wednesday, senators Bob Menendez and Jack Reed made the request in a letter sent on Tuesday to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper. 

The senators, ranking members of Senate committees, reportedly expressed concerns that the failure to reach a cost-sharing deal with South Korea will increase diplomatic and military risks on the Korean Peninsula.

The previous Special Measures Agreement expired at the end of last year.

The senators wrote that the Trump administration's fixation on its notion of burden-sharing belies a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of the U.S. alliance with South Korea. Also, it misunderstands the importance of the U.S.’ strategic position in the Indo-Pacific and is almost guaranteed to fail. 

The senators reportedly said the Pentagon stresses the importance and benefits of the U.S.-South Korea alliance. However, the current negotiating position appears to contradict these key principles and undermines the U.S.’ enduring commitment to South Korea.