By Song Sang-ho and Kim Dong-hyun

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- The White House has expressed its opposition to a provision in an annual defense policy bill that would further restrict the use of funds for reducing the number of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, according to a recent policy statement sent to Congress.

In the July 21 document, its Office of Management and Budget (OMB) took issue with several provisions in the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027, including one concerning U.S. force posture in Korea, arguing that they seek to limit the president's "decision-making" authority.

"The Administration strongly opposes sections 1231, 1232, 1233, and 1247 which purport to restrict the President and the Secretary of War's decision-making ability with regard to U.S. global force posture at large," the OMB said in the statement.

Of the provisions, Section 1247 concerns the oversight of U.S. military posture on the Korean Peninsula. It contains language that tightens restrictions on the use of funds to curtail the number of U.S. Forces Korea troops below the current 28,500.

The White House's opposition came amid lingering speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration could consider a force posture change in South Korea as part of an adjustment to better counter an increasingly assertive China or other security challenges beyond the peninsula.

The House passed its NDAA version on July 22. Before its finalization, the defense bill is set to go through a series of congressional procedures, including the process of bridging gaps between the separate House and Senate versions, and merging them into a single bill.

sshluck@yna.co.kr

(END)

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