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House defense policy bill calls for maintaining 28,500 USFK troops

Published: 30 Sep. 2025, 10:11

A U.S. Stryker armored vehicle and a Korean K200 armored vehicle cross a floating bridge during a joint river-crossing exercise in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 27. [YONHAP]

The U.S. House version of an annual defense policy bill, passed earlier this month, includes a call for maintaining around 28,500 American troops in Korea and reaffirming the United States' deterrence commitment to the Asian ally, its text showed Monday.

The House approved its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 in a 231-196 vote on Sept. 10, authorizing $893 billion in military spending. The text of the endorsed bill has recently been released on Congress' website.

The bill noted the "sense of Congress" that the U.S. defense secretary should continue efforts to strengthen alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific by maintaining the presence of around 28,500 U.S. service members, affirming the United States' "extended deterrence" commitment and enhancing mutual defense base cooperation.

Extended deterrence refers to the United States' pledge to use the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.

The policy bill has gained renewed attention in Korea amid lingering speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration could consider a troop reduction in Korea and ask its ally to take on a greater security burden.

The Senate is looking into its own NDAA version.

Before its finalization, the defense bill is set to go through a series of congressional procedures, including the process of narrowing gaps between the House and Senate, and merging their respective versions of the bill.

Yonhap