Rep. Song Young-gil of the Ruling Democratic Party of Korea criticized the US government for allocating part of the defense budget for US troops here to build the controversial US-Mexico border wall.

“South Korea’s burden-sharing to maintain US troops here is not ‘free money’ the US can use as it wishes,” Song said in a statement released Wednesday.

“North Korean soldiers did not invade (the South) through the Mexico border,” he added, pointing out the purpose of cost sharing is intended to cover the expenses of US troops stationed here.

According to Fact Sheet on Section 2808 Funding Pool, out of the whopping $12.9 billion needed for the construction of the border wall, $70.5 million is to come from the Camp Tango Command and Control Facility in Gyeonggi Province as well as the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Hanger in the air base in North Jeolla Province.

“The share of the costs should not be used to build the US border wall irrelevant to defense on the Korea Peninsula,” Song said, adding that he will keep close tabs on the 1.4 trillion won ($1.2 billion) cost-sharing budget that has not been executed and make sure it is not designated for the US border wall.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)