Sen. Andy Kim voices concern over US security strategy's 'deprioritization' of Korean Peninsula
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Sen. Andy Kim speaks during a press conference in Washington, Wednesday. Yonhap
A Korean American senator expressed concerns Wednesday over the new U.S. national security strategy's "deprioritization" regarding the Korean Peninsula, criticizing the document as "efforts that would abandon American global leadership."
During a press conference, Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) decried the National Security Strategy (NSS) that the White House released last week, amid concerns in Seoul over the omission of a U.S. commitment to the goal of North Korea's denuclearization in the document.
"Certainly, I am concerned about its deprioritization when it comes to the Korean Peninsula," he said, noting that the strategy is "out of line" with what's important for U.S. national security.
He pointed out that the strategy refuses to call Russia a threat and lay out other problems facing the world, arguing that it would lead America and its allies "down a very dangerous path."
"Basically, what it does is try to reduce America from a global power to a regional power," he said. "I think that that's absolutely the wrong direction for the United States."
The NSS outlines the priorities of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on reasserting American heft in the Western Hemisphere, deterring a conflict over Taiwan and ensuring "burden-sharing" and "burden-shifting" with allies and partners, among others.
Regarding concerns about the possibility of Trump seeking a troop drawdown in South Korea, Kim mentioned the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, which includes a measure to restrict the government from unilaterally reducing U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) personnel.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the NDAA in a 312-112 vote, sending it to the Senate where the bill is expected to get bipartisan support. The bill will become law after Trump signs it following the Senate approval.
"I am proud that steps have been taken, hopefully through this NDAA, that will limit this administration's ability to reduce troops on the Korean Peninsula unilaterally, and other steps that we can try to add some stability to the strategic relationship between the U.S. and South Korea," he said.
The troop reduction issue should always be something that the U.S. should consult over with South Korea, he stressed.
"That's the point of being strategic allies and I feel strongly about this," he said.
He went on to say, "Any type of effort by this administration to reduce the troop level without partnership with the South Koreans as well as with Congress will be met with strong opposition by me and many others."
In recent joint documents between South Korea and the U.S., language committing the U.S. to maintaining the current troop level of the 28,500-strong USFK was omitted, apparently leaving open the possibility of a troop cut in a future force posture adjustment.
The press conference was held to mark one year since he joined the upper chamber of Congress, making history as the first Korean American senator. His election raised expectations that he could play a greater role in Congress for the Korean American community, the Seoul-Washington alliance and joint efforts to address North Korea's nuclear quandary.
Kim boasts a prominent foreign policy career, having served at the White House National Security Council, the Pentagon, the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and as a civilian adviser to Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. John Allen in Afghanistan.