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U.S. defense strategy emphasizes South Korea's lead in deterring North Korea

January 23, 2026 Reported by AI Image generated by AI

The U.S. Department of Defense's 2026 National Defense Strategy states that South Korea has the capability to take primary responsibility for deterring North Korean threats with limited American support. This aligns with the Trump administration's America First policy, aiming to modernize the alliance and shift focus toward countering China. While assessing North Korea's nuclear threat as severe, the strategy omits any goal of denuclearization.