Nearly half of Koreans working at the US military in Korea went on indefinite, unpaid leave Wednesday, taken hostage by drawn-out negotiations between Korea and the US on how to share costs for the upkeep of 28,500 American troops here.

“Today, approximately half of the USFK Korean national employee workforce has been furloughed due to a lapse in the Special Measures Agreement,” Gen. Robert Abrams, commander of the US military in Korea, said, referring to the cost-sharing deal the allies have yet to sign.

In response, Seoul’s Defense Ministry said it will come up with a way to support the workers. “We will work with the National Assembly to introduce legislation to compensate the workers using the government budget,” said ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo at a briefing.

Earlier on Monday, a local news outlet reported Korea and the US were close to signing a deal, pending presidential approval. But Cheong Wa Dae dismissed speculation, saying negotiations were still underway.

According to the report, Seoul would annually pay roughly 10 percent more than the 1.04 trillion won ($851 million) it paid the previous agreement until 2024. Washington had initially demanded $5 billion. Korea would also sign a five-year deal, as opposed to a one-year contract the US preferred.

Korea insists on lowering the $5 billion the US is reluctant to cut down in the talks that started in September 2019. They reportedly bridged that gap during a phone conversation a week ago when President Moon Jae-in offered to send US President Donald Trump COVID-19 test kits he had requested.

Korea and the US said delays in reaching a new Special Measures Agreement would not affect the readiness of their joint forces, with Gen. Abrams saying they stand ready to “fight tonight.”

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)