Interview with Jeon Wanki, Provincial Governor: "Ukraine Also Uses Wartime Satellites"
"If the Korean Military Uses Satellite Information, Cooperation with Domestic Defense Companies Will Follow"
The first satellite (Unit 1) of the ‘425 Project’ received a combat suitability certification this month. The 425 Project is an initiative to secure a total of five high-resolution medium-to-large military reconnaissance satellites, including four SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellites and one EO·IR (Electro-Optical/Infrared) satellite, by next year. The first satellite, launched in December last year from California, USA, is an EO·IR satellite. However, the 425 Project is delayed compared to the original plan, and the multi-agency SAR satellite acquisition is expected to be fully implemented only after 2028. This means a gap of 4 to 5 years until 2028 is inevitable. Some argue that it is necessary to benchmark the policy of U.S. government agencies actively utilizing private-sector SAR satellites such as Capella and ICEYE for intelligence and military intelligence analysis. We met with Jeon, the Korean branch head of Finnish company ICEYE, which operates private SAR satellites active in the Ukraine war, to hear about the necessity of satellites.
Mr. Jeon introduced ICEYE. He simply and clearly answered, “It is the world’s first company to launch advanced small radar commercial satellites in 2018.” This means they have led the technology. A constellation satellite refers to multiple satellites operating at the same orbit with certain intervals. Radar satellites emit specific electromagnetic waves to the earth’s surface and create images using the reflected distance measurements. Unlike conventional optical observation satellites, radar can be used regardless of weather conditions such as clouds, enabling 24/7 imaging all year round.
38 Small SAR Satellites Already in Orbit
He said, “ICEYE has launched 38 small SAR satellites into orbit so far,” and added, “In March this year, we launched three additional small SAR satellites, including a technology verification satellite with a 1200 MHz radar bandwidth capable of capturing images with the industry’s highest resolution of 25 cm.” A 25 cm resolution means ground objects can be distinguished at 25 cm pixel units. This is similar to the performance of the highest-performance optical sensor satellites currently available. Further launches are also planned. Mr. Jeon added, “We plan to continue launching high-resolution SAR satellites this year, and by the end of 2025, we will have launched over 60 satellites in total.”
Mr. Jeon presented various imaging modes unique to ICEYE. He explained, “The Dwell Fine mode allows the satellite to perform more than 20 radar observations over a specific ground area for 25 seconds as it passes through the orbit,” adding, “It can detect detailed shapes of military facilities and equipment as well as artificial structures.” He emphasized wide-area reconnaissance not only over specific regions but also at sea. It can collect an image covering an area 100 km wide and 840 km long in a single shot. Mr. Jeon said, “SAR satellites can detect ships even at night and in severe weather conditions, and provide specialized information through data from the ICEYE Ocean Vision Detect program.” This means it is excellent for monitoring North Korea as well as neighboring countries’ naval forces and illegal fishing activities.
To Obtain Intelligence on North Korea, Revisit Cycle Must Be Shortened
He pointed out North Korea’s solid-fuel ballistic missiles. Mr. Jeon criticized, “Although the South Korean military is accelerating the introduction of military reconnaissance satellites through the 425 Project, a 2-hour revisit cycle is insufficient for reconnaissance of North Korea’s ballistic missiles.” Since solid-fuel ballistic missiles do not require fueling and can be launched quickly, the revisit cycle needs to be reduced by more than 30 minutes.
He also cited the Russia-Ukraine war as an example. Mr. Jeon explained, “Ukraine decided to purchase one satellite operated in orbit by ICEYE in 2022,” and added, “During the two years of war, the Ukrainian military intelligence agency collected target information over 4,600 times on the locations of Russian troops, military supplies, airbases, ports, and key infrastructure.” Ukraine also expressed satisfaction with satellite usage.
In September 2022, Oleksii Reznikov, former Ukrainian Minister of Defense, mentioned on social media, “The damage inflicted on Russian forces in two days is greater than the amount we spent on satellite acquisition, and more importantly, it has saved countless lives that cannot be measured in money.” The Ukrainian military intelligence agency (HUR) also revealed that “38% of attacks were based on data obtained through ICEYE.”
If the South Korean military utilizes ICEYE’s satellites, cooperation with South Korean defense companies will also be promised. He emphasized, “The South Korean government can focus on reducing risks in its own small satellite development projects,” and added, “We plan to support companies as well as invest in necessary resources and projects in the future.”
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