Seoul and Washington have agreed to continue negotiations on next year's costs to station U.S. troops in South Korea.
The agreement came after two-day talks in Seoul.
South Korea's foreign ministry said officials from both sides hoped to reach a deal that reflects a reasonable and fair sharing of defense costs.
It also said the talks were conducted with the aim of strengthening the two countries' alliance, adding that the two sides exchanged their views thoroughly.
They agreed to hold the next round of discussions in the U.S. sometime next month.
Seoul is currently paying 870 million U.S. dollars... an 8-point-2-percent increase from last year.