The U.S. Senate also handles the National Defense Authorization Act, which "maintained the current level of U.S. troops in South Korea."

Ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the National Defense Authorization Act, which calls for maintaining U.S. troops in South Korea at the current level, has passed the Senate.

On the 18th, local time, the U.S. Senate passed a defense authorization bill worth a total of $895.2 billion and about 1,285 trillion won in our money, with 85 in favor and 14 in opposition.

The bill included maintaining about 28,500 U.S. troops deployed to South Korea, strengthening the foundation of the mutual defense industry, and reaffirming the extended deterrence pledge using all U.S. military defense capabilities.

He also ordered the Ministry of National Defense to report each plan to strengthen the U.S. commitment to the extended deterrence of South Korea and the progress of defense cooperation between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

The budget for the National Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal 2025 is up about 1% from a year ago, and the Senate process was completed following the U.S. House of Representatives on the 11th, leaving only the process of signing President Biden.

The National Defense Authorization Act, which requires U.S. troops in South Korea to be maintained at the current level, also applies to the second Trump administration, but there is no legal enforcement, and Trump has requested an increase in South Korea's contribution to defense costs during the presidential election.