The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act specifies ‘Korean Peninsula and Taiwan information sharing’ and ‘joint response to China and North Korea’
The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act stipulated ‘sharing defense information on the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan’ and specified ‘joint response’ by viewing ‘China and North Korea’ as the same entity.
The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House and Senate ahead of the President's signature, stipulates that the Korean military must submit a 'Secretary of Defense report' as a condition of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command's transfer of wartime operational control. “We believe that sharing is critical to identifying and responding to malign activities by China and North Korea that threaten the interests of the United States and its allies and partners in the region,” the Voice of America (VOA) reported on the 14th.
The National Defense Authorization Act required the Secretary of Defense to submit it to the relevant congressional committees and notify the relevant congressional committees within 45 days before the transfer of OPCON.
In addition to the “Congressional recognition” provision regarding the U.S.-ROK alliance, which is included every year in relation to the Korean Peninsula, the National Defense Authorization Act has a legally binding provision requiring reporting of threats from North Korea and other threats to the U.S. mainland, “within 30 days from the date of enactment of the Act.” , and every 180 days thereafter until February 1, 2026, provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on efforts to strengthen homeland defenses.”
The bill would assess the command structure and force posture of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region and make recommendations for adjustments to the U.S. military's command structure in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly in reporting "up-to-date developments on threats to the United States from the governments of China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and other adversaries." It was stipulated that it be submitted to .
The National Defense Authorization Act contains guidelines for budget execution in accordance with the U.S. defense policy. Congress creates and passes a new bill every year, and this time, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024 is $886 billion, a 3% increase from the previous year. With the defense budget set, the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan transitioned to an information sharing system.
The bill was passed in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on the 14th with 310 votes in favor and 118 against, and in the Democratic-controlled Senate on the 13th, it passed with 87 votes in favor and 13 against, and it was passed to President Biden for signature.
This National Defense Authorization Act “maintains the number of U.S. troops deployed in Korea, approximately 28,500, confirms the U.S. commitment to extended deterrence using all of the U.S. defense capabilities, and supports President Biden’s policy during the state visit of South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol.” “We will strengthen our alliance with Korea, including deepening cooperation on nuclear deterrence, which was emphasized in the Washington Declaration adopted by President Yoon,” he said, specifying the ‘Washington Declaration’ as a justification for expanding security on the Korean Peninsula.
The ‘Washington Declaration’, signed by President Yoon on April 26, “responded to changing threats on the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific,” and added, “Republic of Korea and the United States strive for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, and the measures we take together.” “We will further develop this fundamental goal.”