“The NDAA, which maintains the current level of 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea, has gone into effect

NEWS

Author

Janne Pak

Date

2025-12-18 22:15

(12-18-2025) by: Janne Pak(White House & State Department & Pentagon & Congress Correspondent)

“The National Defense Authorization Act, which maintains the current level of 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea, has gone into effect.”

[미국, 주한미군 병력을 현 수준인 2만8500명으로 유지하는 국방수권법 발효.]

@Today (December 18, local time), President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 in the Oval Office of the White House.>

(오늘(18일, 현지시간) 백악관 집무실에서 트럼프 대통령이 2026 회계연도 국방수권법에 서명했다).>>>

@The photo shows Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base located in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, where the U.S. Forces Korea headquarters is situated.(12-18-2025)>

(사진은 한국 경기 평택시 주한미군 사령부가 있는 캠프 험프리스 미군기지.)>>>

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, which includes a provision to maintain the current level of 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea, went into effect today (local time) after being signed by President Trump.

주한미군 병력을 현 수준인 2만8500명으로 유지하도록 한 조항을 다시 명문화한 2026 회계연도 국방수권법(NDAA)이 오늘(18일, 현지시간) 트럼프 대통령이 서명함으로서 발효됐다.

The White House announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was passed after being put to a vote in the House of Representatives on December 10th and in the Senate on December 17th, with 77 votes in favor and 20 against.

국방수권법(NDAA)는 지난 10일 하원과 17일 상원에서 본회의를 열고 해당 법안을 표결에 부친 결과 찬성 77표, 반대 20표로 가결, 통과를 거쳐 확정됐다고 백악관이 밝혔다.

This NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) stipulates that defense funds cannot be used for troop reductions or for transferring wartime operational control to a South Korean-led command structure. This provision, which was introduced during the Trump administration and later removed by the Biden administration, has been revived with President Trump's return to power.

이번 NDAA는 병력 감축이나 전시작전통제권을 한국군 주도 지휘구조로 전환하는 데 국방 예산을 사용할 수 없도록 규정했다. 이는 트럼프 1기 행정부 시절 도입됐다가 바이든 행정부에서 삭제된 조항으로, 트럼프 대통령 재집권과 함께 부활했다.

The defense budget for fiscal year 2026 was set at a record high of $901 billion. The bill also includes provisions prohibiting the reduction of U.S. troops stationed in Europe to fewer than 76,000 and preventing the U.S. European Command commander from relinquishing his concurrent role as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

2026 회계연도 국방 예산은 사상 최대인 9010억 달러로 책정됐다. 법안에는 유럽 주둔 미군을 7만6000명 이하로 감축하는 것과 미 유럽사령관의 NATO 최고사령관(SACEUR) 겸직 포기를 금지하는 내용도 포함됐다.

The bill also includes $800 million in security assistance for Ukraine (over two years), $600 million for Israeli missile defense, $175 million for defense support to the Baltic states, and $1 billion for security cooperation with Taiwan and strengthening the Indo-Pacific strategy.

이와 함께 우크라이나 안보 지원 8억 달러(2년), 이스라엘 미사일 방어 6억 달러, 발트 3국 방위 지원 1억7500만 달러, 대만 안보 협력 및 인도·태평양 전략 강화 10억 달러 등이 반영됐다.

Whenever there's a change of government in South Korea and the United States, different policies regarding the reduction of U.S. troops in South Korea have been circulating, but it's reassuring that the U.S. is now providing a clear answer. (End)

한국과 미국의 정권이 바뀔때마다 주한미군 감축에 관한 다른 정책들이 난무해 왔는데, 미국이 이번에 확실한 답을 주고있어 안심이 된다.(끝)

All Copy Rights Reserved: on USA JOURNAL KOREA Site.

(Janne Pak, White House Correspondent)
A Professional female Journalist who has covered the Korean Peninsula Issues and Korea-U.S. relations for over 20 years, White House, Pentagon, State Department, Congress.

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