Nearly half of South Korean employees on bases to be furloughed: US

The State Department said the gap remained "large" and put the blame on South Korea

Nearly half of South Korean employees with the US Forces Korea (USFK) will be furloughed next month unless the two sides reach a cost-sharing deal, the US State Department said Friday, after the latest round of negotiations ended without an agreement.

Seoul's top negotiator, Jeong Eun-bo, and his American counterpart, James DeHart, held a seventh round of talks in Los Angeles from Tuesday through Thursday to renew the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on splitting the cost of stationing 28,500 American troops on the Peninsula, reports the Yonhap News Agency.

They were initially to meet for two days but extended their negotiation for