South Korea and the United States will hold a fourth round of talks this week to renew their defense cost-sharing agreement for the stationing of U.S. Forces Korea(USFK) on the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the negotiations for the 12th Special Measures Agreement(SMA) will be held in Seoul from Tuesday to Thursday. 

A ministry official said the government plans to proceed with consultations under the principle that its share of the costs should be kept to a “reasonable level” to create stable conditions for U.S. troops stationed in the country and to strengthen the joint South Korea-U.S. defense.

The two sides held the first round of talks in Hawaii from April 23 to 25 to exchange their basic positions, followed by talks in late May in Seoul and earlier this month in Washington D.C. 

The current SMA is set to expire at the end of 2025.