{"id":2197229,"date":"2022-07-05T14:48:48","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T05:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nknews.org\/pro\/?p=2197229"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:12:12","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:12:12","slug":"south-korea-blasts-off-into-space-without-clear-vision-for-where-its-going","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2022\/07\/south-korea-blasts-off-into-space-without-clear-vision-for-where-its-going\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea blasts off into space without clear vision for where it\u2019s going"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea has a clear path to developing new missile ranges and payloads, thanks to Washington and Seoul\u2019s decision to scrap missile limits during Moon Jae-in\u2019s <\/span>final year<\/span><\/a> in office.\u00a0<\/span>While the national security implications of this decision are perhaps the most salient, the ROK space sector stands to benefit enormously from new development capabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But as money flows into the industry and technology is transferred from the government to the private sector, it is unclear if a strategy has emerged to penetrate an increasingly crowded international market.<\/span><\/p>\n NEW POTENTIAL, OLD AMBITION<\/b><\/p>\n South Korea has invested significant resources into space for most of this century. The current budget for the country\u2019s space program is roughly <\/span>$619 million<\/span><\/a>, nearly double what it was <\/span>in 2013<\/span><\/a>. The development of the three-stage Nuri rocket that <\/span>successfully<\/span><\/a> put South Korea\u2019s first satellite into orbit <\/span>last month<\/span><\/a> was the culmination of <\/span>three decades<\/span><\/a> of work and $1.7 billion <\/span>spent<\/span><\/a> on the project since 2010.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Later this year, South Korea is expected to launch its <\/span>first lunar orbiter<\/span><\/a> aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and undertake an <\/span>unmanned moon landing<\/span><\/a> by 2030.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There appears to be bipartisan support to explore the final frontier. Just weeks after Yoon Suk-yeol assumed the presidency, South Korea became the <\/span>10th country<\/span><\/a> to join the U.S.-led Artemis Accords \u2014 an agreement that sets norms for countries wanting to explore the moon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The U.S. and South Korea have also agreed to cooperate on Seoul\u2019s pursuit of the Korea Positioning System (KPS) \u2014 an indigenous satellite navigation system it hopes to have in place <\/span>by 2035<\/span><\/a>. Further, Korea is aiming to take a lead in the race for <\/span>6G technologies<\/span><\/a> aided by its space program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The ability to place its own satellites in orbit is a major milestone for South Korea as it looks to take on a greater role in its own security. Taking more responsibility for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities related to North Korea is a key objective in the transfer of wartime operational control from the U.S. to South Korea. To that end, the country unveiled a plan to spend <\/span>$1.4 billion<\/span><\/a> by 2030 to develop satellites, communications and new rockets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n