The U.S. Department of Defense announced a new National Defense Strategy (NDS) that reduces the U.S. military's role in deterring North Korea and says Korea should take the primary responsibility for defense.
The U.S. Department of Defense formalized this policy through the NDS report released on the 23rd (local time). The report assessed that Korea already possesses a powerful military.
The report said, "Thanks to high defense expenditure, a strong defense industry, and mandatory conscription, Korea, which has a powerful military, can take primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with important but more limited U.S. support."
This is seen as reflecting the U.S. judgment that Korea's defense capabilities have reached a sufficient level.
The United States also signaled an intention to readjust the operation of U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula through this change.
The NDS said, "This change in the balance of responsibility aligns with U.S. interest in updating the U.S. force posture on the Korean Peninsula," adding, "Through this, we can lay the foundation for sustainable peace by ensuring a strong and mutually beneficial alliance that better aligns with U.S. defense priorities."
The strategy is not limited to Korea. The U.S. Department of Defense said it would make it a top priority in Europe and the Middle East for allies and partners to take leading roles in their own defense. In these regions as well, the U.S. military set a principle of providing "important but limited support."
This reflects the burden-sharing stance for allies emphasized by the Donald Trump administration.
The NDS emphasized fair contributions by allies within a collective defense system. The report explicitly named Korea, saying, "Thanks to President Trump's leadership, allies in Europe and Korea began strengthening their roles after Jan. 2025."
It also includes an assessment of North Korea's military threat. The report defined North Korea as a "direct military threat" to Korea and Japan.
The report said, "Much of North Korea's large conventional force is outdated or not properly maintained," but added, "Korea should not let down its guard against the threat of a North Korean invasion." It expressed strong concern about nuclear and missile capabilities.
The NDS said, "North Korea's missile units can strike targets in the Republic of Korea and Japan with conventional and nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction."
In particular, regarding the threat to the U.S. mainland, it said, "North Korea's nuclear units are increasingly capable of threatening the U.S. homeland," adding, "These units are growing in size and sophistication and pose a clear and immediate danger of a nuclear attack on the U.S. mainland."
It also revealed a check on China. The report referred to China as "the second most powerful country in the world" and stressed the need to maintain a favorable military balance in the Indo-Pacific.
However, it drew a line that this strategy is not intended to repress China. The Department of Defense said, "It is not about dominating, humiliating, or repressing China," and added, "It is simply to ensure that neither China nor anyone else can dominate us or our allies." The Taiwan issue was not separately mentioned in this report.