1.This Act may be cited as
the United States-Republic of Korea
Defense Cooperation Improvement Act of 2007
.
2.Congress makes the following
findings:
(1)Close and
continuing cooperation in defense between the United States and the Republic of
Korea continues to be in the national security interest of the United
States.
(2)The Republic of
Korea was designated a Major Non-NATO Ally in 1987, the first such
designation.
(3)The Republic of
Korea has been a major purchaser of United States defense articles and services
through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, totaling $6,900,000,000 in
deliveries over the last 10 years.
(4)Purchases of
United States defense articles, services, and major defense equipment
facilitate and increase the interoperability of Republic of Korea military
forces with United States military forces.
(5)Congress has
previously enacted important, special defense cooperation arrangements for the
Republic of Korea, as in the Act entitled An Act to authorize the
transfer of items in the War Reserves Stockpile for Allies, Korea
,
approved December 30, 2005 (Public Law 109–159), which authorized the
President, notwithstanding section 514 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2321h), to transfer to the Republic of Korea certain defense items
to be included in a war reserve stockpile for that country.
(6)Such actions by
Congress and sales to the Republic of Korea enhance defense ties with that
country and ensure favorable consideration by the Government of the Republic of
Korea when it considers acquisitions of certain weapons systems.
(7)Enhanced support
for defense cooperation with the Republic of Korea is important to the national
security of the United States, including through creation of a status in law
for the Republic of Korea similar to the countries in the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, with respect to consideration
by Congress of foreign military sales to the Republic of Korea.
3.It is the sense of
Congress that expeditious consideration of certifications of letters of offer
to sell defense articles, defense services, design and construction services,
and major defense equipment to the Republic of Korea under section 36(b) of the
Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(b)) is fully consistent with United
States security and foreign policy interests and the objectives of world peace
and security.
4.Amendments to
Arms Export Control ActThe
Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) is amended—
(1)in section 3 (22
U.S.C. 2753)—
(A)in subsection
(b)(2), by inserting the Government of the Republic of Korea,
before the Government of Australia
; and
(B)in subsection
(d)—
(i)in
paragraph (2)(B), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Japan
;
(ii)in
paragraph (3)(A)(i), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Australia
; and
(iii)in paragraph
(5), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Australia
;
(2)in section 21 (22
U.S.C. 2761)—
(A)in subsection
(e)(2)(A), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Japan
; and
(B)in subsection
(h)—
(i)in
paragraph (1)(A), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Australia
; and
(ii)in
paragraph (2), by striking or to any member government of that
Organization if that Organization or member government
and inserting
, to any member government of that Organization, or to the Governments
of the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, or Israel if that
Organization, member government, or the Governments of the Republic of Korea,
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, or Israel
;
(3)in section 36 (22
U.S.C. 2776)—
(A)in subsection
(b)—
(i)in
paragraph (1), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Japan
;
(ii)in
paragraph (2), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Japan
; and
(iii)in paragraph
(6), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Australia
;
(B)in subsection
(c), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Australia
both places it appears; and
(C)in subsection
(d)(2)(A), by inserting the Republic of Korea,
before
Australia
;
(4)in section
62(c)(1) (22 U.S.C. 2796a(c)(1)), by inserting the Republic of
Korea,
before Australia
; and
(5)in section
63(a)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2796b(a)(2)), by inserting the Republic of
Korea,
before Australia
.
5.Amendment to
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961Section 656(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2416(a)(2)) by inserting Republic of
Korea,
before Australia
.