U.S. Senate passes annual defense bill maintaining current level of USFK upkeep

A Christmas tree is seen outside the US Capitol in Washington DC on Dec 6 2024 AFP-Yonhap — A Christmas tree is seen outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 6, 2024. AFP-Yonhap

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a defense bill which includes Washington's commitment to maintaining about 28,500 American troops in South Korea.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act, which allocates $895 billion for defense and security for fiscal year 2025, passed the Senate with a decisive 85-14 vote after clearing the House last week.

The bill's passage comes amid concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may seek to reduce troop deployments in South Korea and push for renegotiations on defense spending, urging Seoul to contribute more to the cost for the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on the Korean Peninsula.

But the act, the backbone of U.S. defense budgets, prohibits the president from unilaterally slashing the number of American troops in South Korea from the current level of 28,500.

The bill now awaits the president's approval to take effect.

AJP

U.S. Senate passes annual defense bill maintaining current level of USFK upkeep

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