U.S.-South Korea to Deepen Cooperation in Defense Space Sector

WASHINGTON (ROK Ministry of National Defense PR) — The ROK Ministry of National Defense and the US Department of Defense held the 18th ROK-US Director-General-level Defense Space Cooperation Working Group (SCWG) in Washington DC on April 25, 2022.

This meeting was attended by Cho Yong-geun, Minister for North Korea Policy of the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense and John D. Hill, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy of the United States of America, as representatives of both sides.

After the signing of the Korea-U.S. Defense and Space Cooperation (SCWG) Agreement (TOR) at the Korea-U.S. Security Council Meeting (SCM) in October of ’12, the National Defense and Space Cooperation Council (SCWG) was held 17 times from ’13 to ’21.

At this meeting for the first time, the representatives of the ROK and the United States reached an agreement on the “Korea-US space policy joint study” for the development of space policy at the level of the ROK-US alliance.

“Korea-US space policy joint research” was published in ’20. After the first proposal by the ROK at the 14th Defense and Space Cooperation Meeting (SCWG) in February, the ROK and the US have been closely discussing in various ways for about two years in the face of COVID-19, and a final agreement was reached at the 18th Defense and Space Cooperation Meeting (SCWG) and signed it.

The “Korea-US space policy joint study” is the first official document that suggests the direction of space policy development between the ROK and the US Ministry of National Defense.

As an alliance in the space domain, the two countries are to achieve the strategic value of space cooperation and to strengthen common space capabilities

• Sharing information for a common understanding of the space domain
• Training space experts through participation in exercises and training
• Improving interoperability We have decided to continue cooperation in defense and space, such as enhancing our joint space operation performance capabilities.

The two countries agreed to closely monitor the implementation status and actively pursue the implementation of the “Korea-US space policy joint study” through the regularly held Defense Space Cooperation Meeting (SCWG).

Also, at this meeting, the two countries shared the latest national and defense space policies and in-depth discussions on space domain awareness information sharing.

The ROK and the U.S. highly appreciate the continued space cooperation between defense authorities, including the outcome of this “Korea-U.S. Joint Space Policy Joint Research” agreement.