Establishment of USFK Space Force Unit... Why Was the Space Force Created?

On the afternoon of the 14th, the United States Space Force establishment ceremony for the US Forces Korea is being held at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The US Forces Korea established a 'Space Force' unit on the 14th. This is the third Space Force unit the US has created outside the mainland, following the Indo-Pacific Command and Central Command. Countries considered space powerhouses, including the US, China, Russia, the UK, and France, have already established space forces or operate them as subordinate units within their air forces. Why have these countries established space forces?

Space Technology Directly Linked to Security... US Expands Space Forces Outside Mainland

The United States established the Space Force in December 2019 during President Donald Trump's administration. It reorganized the military structure from five branches?Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard?into six by including the Space Force as an independent branch. The creation of the Space Force was one of President Trump's key initiatives. He believed that the US needed to take the lead in the space domain, which is directly linked to national security amid hegemonic conflicts with other major powers such as China and Russia. When officially announcing the establishment of the Space Force in 2018, President Trump stated, "The United States has always led (space development), and we do not want China, Russia, or any other country to surpass us."

The mission of the US Space Force is to analyze various detection information to suppress and block threats occurring in the space domain. It does not send troops into space but performs tasks such as location tracking using satellites, early missile detection and warning, and surveillance. As the use and importance of space technology in security issues increase, it also plays a role in protecting national assets in space.

In 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the establishment of the Space Force. / Yonhap News

The US Space Force is expanding its organization by promoting plans to establish field component commands within each combatant command. Following the recent establishment of Space Force units under the Indo-Pacific Command, responsible for China, and the Central Command, responsible for Iran, the third Space Force unit was established within the US Forces Korea on the 14th. This is interpreted as a measure to seriously recognize and strengthen response capabilities against the recent frequent missile threats from North Korea.

The US Space Force in Korea provides space planning, specialized space capabilities, and space command and control functions to the US Forces Korea commander, and performs missions such as regional missile warning, Global Positioning System (GPS), and satellite communications.

China, France, UK, Russia Also Operate Space Organizations... Korea Launches 'Space Operations Battalion'

As the utilization of space technology in the security sector increases, other countries besides the US are also rushing to establish space forces. In Europe, Russia and France renamed their air forces as 'Aerospace Forces' in 2015 and 2020, respectively. Although the Aerospace Forces are not independent military branches like in the US, they are responsible not only for airspace defense but also for reconnaissance satellite development and the establishment of space surveillance systems. The UK also established a Space Command under its air force last year.

China does not have a separate Space Force. However, since 2015, it has established a 'Strategic Support Force' to carry out space-related missions. The specific missions of the Strategic Support Force have not been publicly disclosed, but it is known to be responsible for tasks using scientific and technological information such as space warfare, electronic warfare, and cyber warfare. The US Space Force assesses that China’s space capabilities are rapidly developing to the extent that they could destroy US satellite capabilities.

The Republic of Korea Air Force also launched the Space Operations Battalion on the 1st, integrating existing space-related organizations and functions. The Space Operations Battalion performs tasks such as monitoring and cataloging space objects during wartime and peacetime, and space threat signal missions. It is reported that it will cooperate with the US Space Force unit in Korea by strengthening space operation capabilities through joint training.