U.S. and South Korea to start defense cost negotiations early = Is this a strategy with Trump's re-election in mind?

The United States and South Korea have appointed a negotiating representative for the 12th U.S.-South Korea Special Defense Cost Sharing Agreement (SMA), which will take effect from 2026, and have begun early negotiations.
The United States and South Korea announced in a joint press release on the 5th, ``Since 1991, the SMA has been committed to providing a stable environment for the presence of U.S. forces in South Korea and strong ties.
``As an exceptional measure in accordance with Article 5 of the Agreement on the Stationing of U.S. Forces in South Korea, South Korea has agreed to share personnel costs, military support, and military construction costs.''
He has contributed to the military garrison." He continued, ``Delegations from both sides will strive for productive talks that will strengthen the U.S.-ROK joint defense posture and further strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance.''
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has appointed Lee Tae-woo, Consul General to Sydney, as the representative for this negotiation. Lee's negotiating representative is the head of the North Korean Nuclear Diplomacy Planning Group, the deputy director of the North American Bureau, and the ambassador to the United States.
He is a diplomat who has held positions such as a counselor. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that Lee, the negotiator, ``has experience and expertise in working in diverse areas of the South Korea-US alliance.''
On the U.S. side, Linda Specht, Advised Assistant and Chief U.S. Security Agreement Representative, was appointed.
``SMA'' is an agreement that stipulates the amount that South Korea will bear for the cost of stationing US forces in South Korea.
In 2021, the 11th SMA, which will be applied from 2020 to 2025, was concluded. It is unusual for the 12th round of negotiations to begin when there are still nearly two years left until the end of the 11th SMA.
That's true. Some analysts say that this is a strategy that takes into account the possibility of former President Donald Trump's re-election in the US presidential election this November.