The U.S. State Department has reaffirmed its commitment to a "fair and equitable" agreement on defense cost-sharing with South Korea as the two sides are set to resume negotiations on Tuesday.

Seoul's chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo will sit down for talks with his American counterpart, James DeHart, in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Wednesday for the seventh round of talks on renewing the allies' Special Measures Agreement(SMA).

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News on Monday that Washington remains committed to a fair and equitable outcome to the SMA negotiations for both countries that will strengthen and sustain the resilient U.S.-South Korea Alliance. 

The spokesperson said the alliance is strong and vital for safeguarding peace on the Peninsula as well as stability in the broader Indo-Pacific region. 

However, the official reiterated the department's objection to Seoul's proposal to first settle the issue of wages for South Korean workers at U.S. military bases.

The spokesperson said that the recent proposal by South Korea to launch a separate negotiation based solely on labor cost sharing would greatly detract from expeditiously concluding a mutually acceptable and comprehensive SMA that addresses all facets. 

The official added that furloughs may be avoided if the two sides reach an agreement on a more equitable SMA that supports President Trump's view in which allies and partners should cover their fair share of costs.