South Korea is keeping tabs for developments regarding the stationing of American troops on the Korean Peninsula as stipulated in the U.S. defense policy bill for next year.

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee passed the National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, calling to limit reduction of U.S. Forces Korea(USFK), and to restrict the transfer of wartime operational control(OPCON) from Washington to Seoul.

The Act, which comes in the wake of rising speculation that the Donald Trump administration may push to reduce USFK troop deployment, prohibits such moves until the defense minister assures Congress that they are in the nation's interests.

While declining to get into the specifics of the bill under legislative procedures, an official at Seoul's foreign ministry said on Monday that Congress is well aware of the importance of USFK deployment on the peninsula.

The official said the ministry plans to maintain a close communication with Washington while closely monitoring for related developments.