On January 23, the Pentagon unveiled a new National Defense Strategy (NDS) that aims to further limit U.S. forces’ role in deterring North Korea on the Korean Peninsula and shift the primary responsibility for self-defense to South Korea.
In the 2026 National Defense Strategy released that day, the Department of Defense assessed that South Korea, with its high defense spending, robust defense industry, and conscription system, possesses strong military capabilities. It stated that South Korea is capable of assuming primary responsibility for deterring North Korea, with important but more limited support from the U.S.
The strategy noted that South Korea also has the will to take on this responsibility, given the direct and clear threat posed by North Korea. It added that this shift in the balance of responsibilities aligns with U.S. interests in updating its force posture on the Korean Peninsula.
The NDS emphasized that this approach would ensure a strong and mutually beneficial alliance that better aligns with U.S. defense priorities, thereby laying the groundwork for sustainable peace.
The Pentagon specified that encouraging allies and partners to take primary responsibility for their own defense, with the U.S. providing only important but limited support, would be a top priority not just in South Korea, but also in Europe and the Middle East.
The NDS is a subordinate document to the National Security Strategy (NSS) released by the White House last December. It outlines major threats facing the U.S., defense priorities, and implementation strategies, typically revised and released with each new administration.
This NDS emphasizes the principle of fair burden-sharing among allies, a core tenet of the Donald Trump administration’s collective defense system. It specifically mentioned South Korea, noting that since January 2025, allies, particularly in Europe and Korea, have begun to strengthen their roles thanks to President Donald Trump’s leadership.
Regarding North Korea, the report described it as a direct military threat to U.S. treaty allies South Korea and Japan. It warned that while many of North Korea’s large conventional forces are aging or poorly maintained, South Korea must remain vigilant against the threat of invasion.
The strategy analyzed that North Korea’s missile capabilities can target South Korea and Japan with conventional and nuclear weapons, as well as other weapons of mass destruction. It also warned that North Korea’s nuclear capabilities are increasingly able to threaten the U.S. mainland, with these forces growing in scale and sophistication, posing a clear and immediate risk of nuclear attack.
Notably, this NDS does not mention North Korea’s denuclearization. The previous Biden administration’s 2022 NDS and Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) had included the goal of complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in the NPR.
On China, the report referred to it as the world’s second most powerful nation, emphasizing the need for the Pentagon to maintain a favorable military balance in the Indo-Pacific region. It clarified that this effort is not about dominating, humiliating, or oppressing China, but rather ensuring that neither China nor anyone else can dominate the U.S. or its allies. However, the report did not address the Taiwan issue.