A $5 billion bill and Japan tensions in focus as U.S. defence heads visit South Korea

FILE PHOTO: Flanked by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (L) and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Army Gen. Mark Milley, U.S. President Donald Trump meets with senior military leaders at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2019.

SEOUL (Reuters) - A $5 billion (£4 billion) demand to meet the cost of hosting American troops, and tensions between Seoul and Tokyo that threaten to undercut regional cooperation are set to top the agenda when senior U.S. defence officials visit South Korea this week.

U.S. President Donald Trump's insistence Seoul take on a greater share of the cost of American military presence as deterrence against North Korea has tested South Korea's confidence in the security alliance with Washington.