[21st Century Space War]③ South Korea Cannot Launch Satellites Without US Approval

Satellite Launch with US Parts Difficult Due to ITAR
"Government Diplomatic Efforts Crucial"
Establishing Space Aviation Agency Also a Challenge
"If Space Agency Delayed, Golden Time for Space Power Will Be Missed"

Although the 'New Space' era, in which space industry development led by the government shifts to private sector leadership, has begun, there are still tasks for government authorities and the National Assembly. These include resolving regulations that hinder the promotion of the domestic space industry and enabling private companies to utilize technologies owned by the state. In particular, the external situation where permission from the United States is required to launch satellites made with our technology into space, and the establishment of a Space Aviation Agency to assist technology transfer to the private sector, are considered the top priority issues that the government and the National Assembly must address to leap into a space powerhouse.

"Urgent Need to Obtain ITAR Exemption Country Status"

A representative regulation regarded as a long-standing issue in the domestic aerospace industry is ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

MTCR is a multilateral consultative body established in 1987 by seven major countries (G7) including the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, and Japan. The United States, which leads this body, created ITAR to restrict the launching of satellites containing U.S.-made strategic components on foreign launch vehicles. The U.S.-made core component 'gyroscope' is a typical ITAR-restricted item. The gyroscope controls the satellite's attitude in space.

Due to ITAR, although Korea has its own launch vehicle technology, it is impossible to load satellites without U.S. permission. An industry official said, "Every time Korea launches a satellite, we have to ask the U.S. whether it is okay to load it on this rocket," adding, "In the past, Russian rockets were also allowed, but recently, due to deteriorating U.S.-Russia relations, it has become difficult."

Another industry official expressed concern, saying, "In the future, missions such as Korea's independently pursued lunar landers may become difficult to carry out," and argued, "To secure the competitiveness of private companies in the space industry, it is urgent to obtain the status of an export license exemption country through ITAR relaxation."

Even the small constellation satellite Toyosat (4 units) of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, launched on the Nuri rocket in May, had to consider the U.S. stance before being loaded onto the Nuri rocket. Although Toyosat does not contain core components regulated by ITAR, it was because it was loaded on the Nuri rocket, which MTCR has not yet recognized.

An official from the Astronomy Institute said, "Although Toyosat is not subject to ITAR regulations, the U.S. Department of State opposed the cooperative research between the Astronomy Institute and NASA using Toyosat based on non-proliferation policies, but an exception was granted for launching it via the Nuri rocket for pure scientific research purposes."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The somewhat fortunate point is that the government is diplomatically striving to be recognized as an 'ITAR exception country' and is showing gradual progress. The 'Joint Statement by the Republic of Korea and the United States on the 70th Anniversary of the ROK-U.S. Alliance,' announced after the ROK-U.S. summit between President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden in April, stated, "Both sides urged strengthening commercial space cooperation between Korea and the U.S. and welcomed the recent clarification by the U.S. of export control policies regarding satellites and satellite components that provide an expanded foundation for commercial and government space cooperation between the two countries."

The phrase 'export control policies regarding satellites and satellite components' refers to the content announced by Don Graves, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce, at the 'Satellite 2023' conference in March.

Deputy Secretary Graves said at the time, "Applications for export licenses for satellites and satellite components to MTCR member countries will now be reviewed individually depending on the case, even if the launch vehicle is one that the U.S. does not encourage," meaning that previously, launches by countries with launch vehicles outside the MTCR or untrusted were outright prohibited, but going forward, they will be reviewed case by case. This is a kind of regulatory relaxation.

An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "By specifying 'export control policies regarding satellites and satellite components' in the joint statement, Deputy Secretary Graves' remarks are effectively officially confirmed," but added, "Whether export licenses will actually be granted due to policy changes remains to be seen."

The Long Wait for the Establishment of the Space Aviation Agency

While ITAR relaxation is a long-standing external issue, the most urgent issue to be resolved domestically is the establishment of the Space Aviation Agency (Space Agency). The Space Agency is a dedicated national aerospace organization that plays a role in concretizing the future space economy roadmap. It can be seen as the counterpart to NASA in the United States.

Experts expect that in the 'New Space era,' where government-led space industry shifts to private sector leadership, the Space Agency will function to transfer technology to the private sector and foster the industry.

Originally, the government aimed to open the Space Aviation Agency within the year. However, the special law for the Space Aviation Agency has been pending for a long time in the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee, and was left unresolved in the agenda coordination committee, so it has yet to even pass the threshold of the standing committee in the National Assembly.

The ruling and opposition parties are in conflict over the clause that places the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute under the Space Aviation Agency. Specifically, the phrase in the supplementary provisions stating 'to promote the transfer of the Aerospace Research Institute and the Astronomy Institute to the Space Aviation Agency.' The opposition party argues that the phrase 'promote' does not guarantee the incorporation of the two institutions into the Space Agency, causing delays in discussions.

The aerospace industry believes that the longer the establishment of the Space Agency is delayed, the more the domestic aerospace industry will miss the golden time to leap into a global powerhouse due to difficulties not only in technology transfer to the private sector but also in promoting advanced technology cooperation with overseas global companies.

Recently, the prosecution's investigation into the Korea Aerospace Research Institute over allegations of technology leakage related to the Nuri rocket is regarded as a representative case demonstrating the necessity of the Space Agency. Four researchers from the Aerospace Research Institute, who were about to move to the private company Hanwha Aerospace, repeatedly accessed Nuri rocket technical data from the institute, and the prosecution is investigating whether such actions were illegal.

Professor Heo Hwan-il of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Chungnam National University said, "A desirable model for technology transfer and personnel exchange in the New Space era must be established, and for that, a control tower like the Space Agency is absolutely necessary," adding, "If the Space Agency had been established and operated in time, unfortunate incidents such as investigations due to personnel movement and technology leakage would not have occurred."