WASHINGTON, DC – US President Joe Biden has signed a defence budget bill into law that directs his administration to maintain the present troop level of US Forces Korea (USFK).

On Monday, the National Defense Authorization Act was reportedly signed into law, less than two weeks after the Senate approved it with an 89-10 majority. The bill was also adopted by the House of Representatives earlier this month. "The Act offers crucial benefits and improves access to justice for service troops and their families, and it includes critical authorities to support our country's national defence," according to Biden.

"The President signed S. 1605, the 'National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022,' into law on Monday, December 27, 2021," the White House said in a statement. For fiscal year 2022, the law allocates $768 billion in defence spending, up nearly 5% from the previous year. This is also the greatest sum in US history.

The newly signed law urges the US government to build US alliances with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly South Korea, in order to boost the country's "comparative advantage" over China in the face of increasing competition. To that end, it calls on the US government to keep "about 28,500 troops of the US Armed Forces" on the ground in South Korea.

South Korea, U.S Japan negotiate possible defence ministerial talks

Egypt, Palestine, Jordan ministers meet in Cairo to talk Middle East peace

Biden's diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics split by US allies