SOUTH KOREA: A SPACE POWER BY PROXY
PETER J. MARQUEZ
INTRODUCTION
South Korea is today a developed,
industrial, democratic nation, a status reached after years of military
and totalitarian regimes. During much of the post-war era, Korea suffered
from severe economic difficulties. The Korean War devastated Korea's
economy, and shaped the nature of the re-built post-war economy. "Seoul
depended heavily on foreign aid, not only for defense, but also for other
expenditures. Foreign aid constituted a third of the total budget in 1954,
rose to 58.4 percent in 1956, and was approximately 38 percent of the
budget in 1960." 1
Democracy was slow to take root in South
Korea, and governmental stability was, for years, fragile at best. The
Republic of South Korea has undergone several changes in governmental type
since its founding in August 1948. Syngman Rhee, the country's first
president, proved uncommitted to democracy and soon declared martial law.
Following Rhee's resignation in April 1960 South Korea experienced a brief
democratic interlude in which a new government was elected. However, a new
military junta headed by Park Chung Hee took power in 1961. 2
Park was able to maintain control over
South Korea despite widespread opposition to his totalitarian regime in
large part because of South Korea's economic success. "Improved living
standards and ever-increasing job opportunities" 3 among South Koreans led to a lack of active
resistance to Park's regime. By the late 1970s however, Korea's economic
growth was beginning to falter. Thus, by the time Park was assassinated on
October 26, 1979 satisfaction with the regime was already fading.
Park's assassination ushered in a
tumultuous and critical period in South Korea, with student uprisings,
military takeovers, and sharp confrontations between opposing forces.
Despite several attempts to establish order, relative peace was not
achieved until forces under General Chun quashed a major rebellion in the
city of Kwangju, and established a military regime under his control. 4
Following the Kwangju uprising,
General Chun was elected president. Chun's objective, presented at his
inaugural address, was "to create a new society where all past corrupt
practices would be replaced by mutual trust and justice. In order to
accomplish this goal, he planned to remove old politicians from the scene:
only those certified as "clean" would be permitted to participate in
building the new order." 5 Chun's regime brought significant economic
growth and development to South Korea. However, Chun's ties to the
military and the essentially undemocratic nature of his regime led to
increasing discontent. In 1987, demonstrations by a new student-led
opposition movement resulted in fall of the Chun government.
Since 1987, South Korea has begun to
solidify its democracy, and assert its economic power globally. Kim Young
Sam's administration brought some movement toward globalization, and
cemented Korea's identity as a developed country, resulting in the South
Korean entry into the Organization of Economic and Cultural Development
(OECD). The 1997 presidential election coincided with serious economic
problems in the Asia-Pacific. The South Korean people elected Kim Dae
Jung, a former political dissident, to lead them. He offered a clean break
with the past and the history of institutionalized corruption, an
important milestone for the consolidation of democracy in South Korea. 6 Today, South Korea is
beginning to recover from the recent economic downturn in Asia, and shows
not only economic health but legitimate democracy.
South Korea is faced with several
ongoing regional challenges, including: coping with North Korean
belligerence; the possibility that tensions between China and Taiwan could
escalate into war; and the necessity of maintaining economic growth in a
highly competitive global economy. An integral aspect of South Korea's
economic development and technical advancement has been the acquisition of
advanced space-based information technologies. Ensuring access to
space-based assets- whether indigenous or US-owned- has become a priority
for South Korea. Dual-use space-based systems are seen as a potentially
highly valuable tool, both for enhancing national security, and for
enabling economic growth.
CURRENT POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
South Korea's strategic position
in Asia, its multi-faceted alliance with the United States, its
relationship with North Korea, and its increasing reliance on trade, all
make international relations a high priority for this nation. For years,
South Korea's international relations focused almost exclusively on the US
and North Korea. However, in recent years South Korea has been more active
in the international sphere. South Korean President Roh adopted a policy
of Nordpolitik, which involved the pursuit of wide-ranging relations with
socialist nations (including China) and significantly increased contact
with North Korea. Nordpolitik greatly increased South Korea's
international involvement. The R.O.K. now has diplomatic ties with all the
countries of Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the former Soviet
republics.
Prior to the Korean War, relations
between the Soviet sector (in the North) and the American sector (in the
South) were hardly warm. The Korean War, and the lack of a permanent peace
treaty, cemented a pattern of hostile relations between the two Koreas.
Since the Korean War, an acute awareness of the North Korean threat has
dominated South Korean politics. In general, relations between North and
South Korea have been characterized by minimal direct contact, a
protracted arms race, and occasional rhetorical sparring, interrupted by
periods of high tension in which war seemed imminent. The US commitment to
maintain South Korea's independence, and thus, its fortification of the
South, added to intra-Korean tensions. South Korea's military leaders have
been staunchly anticommunist and have viewed Pyongyang's military
expansion as a preparation for war. This led to a South Korean emphasis on
enhancing their own military strength, by building up their armed forces
and by seeking additional US military assistance. President Park, and
later President Chun followed a policy of "devoting one-third of all
government spending to the military, outstripping North Korean military
expenditures during most of the 1980s." 7
The United States and South Korea-
The United States is a key player in South Korea's foreign relations. The
two nations have had a close but often uncomfortable association since the
middle of the century. The South Korean-American alliance is essential, if
not always ideal, for both parties.
The most striking thing about the relationship between the
United States and South Korea has been its persistence in the face of
chronic fragility...[There are] fundamentally different rationales behind
the alliance in Washington and Seoul. For Washington the alliance occupied
a place in the global geostrategic framework where the Cold War was the
key and where fear of the Soviet Union and China dictated commitment a to
South Korea that its intrinsic value would not have mandated...At the same
time, the South Koreans viewed the alliance as crucial to survival... For
Seoul, however, the alliance aimed not at Moscow or Beijing, but at the
more immediate menace of Pyongyang. 8
Thus, the two nations had very different motivations for their alliance,
but have remained allies nonetheless. The Korean War caused the United
States to view the preservation of South Korea as an independent,
non-communist nation as a high priority. "Fighting in Korea had profound
effects upon the future of both the peninsula and the Cold War...Korea, in
the mind of Washington policymakers, had become a necessary showcase of
American power and its survival crucial to American prestige." 9 South Korea itself
needed the US military presence in order to ensure its survival.
Relations between South Korea and
the United States were burdened and defined by the fact that the US was
the prime defender of South Korea. The United States directed large
amounts of economic and military aid into South Korea; between 1946 and
1976, total aid was $12.6 billion. One of the most common causes of
friction between the US and South Korea was that South Korea proved
unwilling to consistently US wishes.
For the United States, the
alliance with South Korea proved frustrating because of South Korea's
authoritarian leaders, its reluctance to reconcile with other regional US
allies (particularly Japan), and the enormous expense posed by the
continued defense of Korea. For the United States, South Korea was
essentially a second-tier country. US officials believed it would be
easier and less expensive to guarantee South Korea's survival if the
staunch US-Japanese alliance was expanded to allow for a South
Korean-Japanese alliance. The South Koreans still resented Japan for its
pre-war occupation, and feared that the United States would rather defend
Japan than South Korea. However, the US pushed the Japanese-South Korean
treaty through despite street protests. 10 US ties with South Korea were further
strained by "Koreagate," the Park government's efforts to garner
Congressional support for its policies. After President Reagan was
elected, and Chun ascended to power, relations between South Korea and the
US improved markedly. In keeping with his strong anti-Communist ideology,
President Reagan strongly supported Chun and South Korea's security. The
close relationship between the US and the Chun regime led to a certain
amount of anti-Americanism in South Korea. "The opposition forces in South
Korea, suffering from the government's stringent suppression, denounced
United States' support for the Chun regime...and questioned the United
States' motives in Korea." 11
The end of the Cold War and both
South Korea's democratization and its increasing economic power have
provoked further developments in the American-Korean alliance. After the
United States ascertained that North Korea had by 1989 begun to develop an
indigenous nuclear weapons production capability, the possibility of
reducing American military ties to South Korea was negated. North Korea's
status as a fledging but dangerous nuclear state reinforced the necessity
of maintaining the South Korean-American alliance. Both South Korea and
the United States have provided significant amounts of humanitarian aid to
North Korea, and both nations have "alternated between favoring aid to
avert catastrophe and blaming the United States and other donors for
propping up a doomed regime." 12
South Korea's new economic status
has added a new dimension to its relationship with the United States. "As
one of the Four Dragons of East Asia, South Korea has achieved an
incredible record of growth. Three decades ago its GDP per capita was
comparable with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. Today
its GDP per capita is seven times India's, 13 times North Korea's, and
comparable to the lesser economies of the European Union. 13 South Korea and the
United States have important economic links. Twenty two percent of South
Korea's imports come from the US, and 17% of its exports are directed to
the US. In the fall of 1997 South Korea's economy was devastated by the
Asian economic crisis. However, thanks to its strength before the crisis
and steady efforts since, South Korea had moved toward recovery by 1999.
The US strongly supports South Korean economic reforms, and continues to
view the nation as an important economic and strategic partner.
Japan- South Korea and Japan have a
long, historically contentious relationship. As stated previously, Japan
occupied Korea from 1900 to 1945. After World War II, South Korea's
association with the United States put it in a somewhat awkward situation
with regard to Japan. The US had a vested interest in sponsoring a close
relationship between its two closest, and most costly, Asian allies.
However, for South Korea, the memory of the Japanese occupation was fresh,
and the prospect of close relations with Japan unwelcome. South Korea and
Japan engaged in intermittent negotiations starting in 1951. The last
round of negotiations resulted in the June 1965 establishment of
diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan. The establishment of
diplomatic relations, the terms of reparations requested from the
Japanese, and the heavy-handed US sponsorship of the agreement led to
numerous student demonstrations in South Korea. 14
Since then, South Korea and Japan have not
had a close relationship, but have found each other to be useful regional
partners. The nations' close ties to the US, both economically and
militarily, led to a certain convergence in interests. The two nations
began limited cooperation on defense after the 1979 establishment of the
Korean-Japanese Parliamentary Conference on Security Affairs. In the
1980s, under the Chun government, Japan granted South Korea a 4 billion
dollar loan. This prompted the first state visit of the Japanese prime
minister to South Korea since 1945. 15
In the last ten years, South Korea and
Japan have moved toward improving their relationship. In 1998 South Korea
and Japan established a Korea-Japan Security Consultative Meeting to
"promote mutual understanding and trust in the area of national security"
and pledged to "actively cooperate for the stable development of the world
economy through international organizations." 16 The two nations are important trading
partners- 18% of South Korea's imports come from Japan, and 9% of its
exports go to that nation. 17 In 1995, the US, Japan and South Korea
established the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO),
which works with North Korea to replace its current nuclear reactors with
types of nuclear reactors that could not be used to produce plutonium for
nuclear weapons. Despite generally good relations with Japan, there are
frequent (but generally low-grade) South Korean concerns about (1)
possible Japanese re-armament; (2) US favoritism toward Japan; and (3) the
economic challenge Japan poses to South Korea.
China- South Korea and China have
had a difficult relationship in the post-Korean War period. China nd North
Korea, while not close allies, have shared not only a political system,
but also an opposition to Seoul. However, from the mid-1970s on,
unofficial contact between China and South Korea has increased. South
Korean leaders believed good relations with China and the USSR were
essential, "and attached considerable importance to these two countries,
long the allies of North Korea. Beijing [was]...thought to have much
influence in charting the future of the Korean Peninsula and were thus
part of Nordpolitik." 18 Seoul and Beijing were pushed into
official contacts when a hijacked Chinese airliner landed in Seoul, and
Chinese and South Korean officials worked together to negotiate its
return.
After formal diplomatic relations were
finalized in 1992, China and South Korea's special relationship has
continued and trade has become increasingly important to both nations. In
1998 9% of South Korea's exports went to China, and 7% of its imports came
from that nation. 19
However, China and South Korea continue to have divergent views on
numerous issues, including security. While China has "reaffirmed that it
will step up efforts for the future peace and stability of the Korean
peninsula..." 20 there
is little doubt that China has a very different view of the best possible
resolution of the Korean conflict than does South Korea. While China and
South Korea have similar economic interests and goals, South Korea's
dominant foreign policy allegiance is to the US, a stance that prevents
truly close relations between China and South Korea.
USSR/Russia- Immediately following
World War II, the northern half of the Korean peninsula-the part that
became North Korea-was under Soviet control. North Korea's offensive in
the Korean War is widely viewed as being largely Soviet sponsored. Thus,
it should be no surprise that South Korea and the USSR had a hostile
relationship with each other during much of the post-Korean War era.
Nevertheless, unofficial relations
between the USSR and South Korea grew, especially as North Korea's
isolationist stance distanced it from Moscow. The unofficial Soviet-Korea
relationship began in 1973 when a South Korean was allowed to attend an
international conference convened in the Soviet Union. 21 In the 1980s,
relations between the USSR and South Korea improved with South Korea's
pursuit of "Nordpolitik," glasnost in the Soviet Union and Gorbachev's
appeal to all Asia-Pacific nations in a July 1986 speech in Vladivostok.
22 "Economically,
Seoul and Moscow were natural partners." 23 For South Korea, access to the Soviet
Union's extensive natural resources was necessary and welcome. As trade
relations increased in value, and as Moscow pursued liberalizations,
Soviet-South Korean political relations also began to improve. Throughout
the 1980s, Seoul and Moscow made extraordinary progress in relations. 24
Since the fall of the USSR, Russian-South
Korean relations have suffered from neglect. While the two nations are
both technically democracies, their national priorities have proved
extremely divergent in the post-Cold War era. One of the primary reasons
for the Seoul-Moscow reconciliation had been complimentary economic needs.
With Russia's extreme poverty following the USSR's dissolution, it no
longer has much to offer South Korea as a trading partner. For Moscow,
neither South Korea nor North Korea presents a great enough threat or
reward to be considered a high priority. Russia's democratization, and the
end of its ability to appeal to North Korea on an ideological basis, ended
much of its political utility to South Korea. South Korean concerns about
Russia (and the USSR) have long centered around the transfer of Russian
weapons, weapons components, and weapons scientists to North Korea. It is
likely that when Russia's economy improves, trade between the two nations
will again become valuable and useful.
South Korea's Relations with Other
Nations- South Korea's international relations have tended to focus on
the US and North Korea. However, after the Korean War, Korea's contacts
with other nations began to increase, and grew significantly in the 1980s.
25 It has often used
economic ties as a stepping stone to closer political relations. After
years of participating in the UN as an observer, South Korea was finally
granted membership in 1991. (North Korea- and its communist allies- had
prevented Seoul's accession to the UN prior to that point.) Even before
joining the UN, South Korea participated as an observer in UN activities
and groups. Seoul was one of the founding members of the Pacific Economic
Cooperation Council (PECC). In large part to mitigate the de-stabilizing
effects that North Korea had on the region, South Korea has pursued
regional relations within the context of ASEAN and APEC. South Korea,
though now an economically well-developed nation, has long pursued
relations with developing nations, and has good relations with much of the
developing world. In 1996, South Korea's status as a developed nation was
made official through its inclusion in the OECD. South Korea's economic
development has led to increased trade with Europe, not only with the
western Europe but also with Eastern Europe. Trade with Eastern Europe is
notable because it began in the 1980s, at a time when South Korean-Soviet
relations were improving. Once quite isolationist (Korea was traditionally
known as the hermit kingdom) South Korea is now dependent on, and
committed to, its varied international ties.
MILITARY- STRUCTURE, DOCTRINE AND TECHNOLOGIES
The South Korean military is largely
defensive in its force size, structure, and doctrine. Whereas North Korean
doctrine has stressed building a military capable of reunifying Korea,
South Korean doctrine was based on maintaining the post-war status quo by
defending its borders. This was a less arduous task than building an
offensive force, requiring a substantially smaller military, especially as
South Korea could count on ample US assistance. Believing that in an
inter-Korean conflict, North Korea would necessarily be the aggressor,
South Korea has largely oriented its capable military towards defense.
There are significant parallels between
the organization of South Korea's military and that of the US military.
The President (currently Kim Dae-jung) serves as Commander-in-Chief. The
President is also the head of the National Security Council, which
includes the Prime Minister (currently Kim Jong Pil), the National Defense
Minister, and other government ministry heads as chosen by the President.
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) is charged with the military
activities of South Korea. South Korea also has a Joint Chiefs of Staff
(JCS) office that is divided into several different directorates. South
Korea's military is divided into an Army, Air Force, and a Navy (which
includes the Marines). 26
Total active military personnel number
approximately 672,000, with a reserve force of approximately 4,500,000. 27 The 2000 defense
budget was set at 14.4 trillion won ($12.9 B), which represents an
increase of 5% over the previous year's budget. 28 South Korea's Army is the largest of the
military branches. Most troops are deployed along the demilitarized zone
(DMZ) at the 38th parallel. The 1st Army patrols the western half of the
DMZ, and the 3rd Army patrols the eastern half. 29 Total Army manpower is 560,000, with
another 600,000 in reserves.
The South Korean Navy is fairly small,
consisting of two aviation squadrons, and three fleets. The South Korean
Marine Corps and Coast Guard are part of its Naval Force. The Navy has
60,000 active personnel, the Marine Corps has 25,000, and the Coast Guard
has 4,500 personnel. The Navy is currently upgrading and modernizing its
ships, and working to create a small submarine force. The majority of its
technology comes from foreign defense contractors. The South Korean Navy's
use of foreign expertise, technology and industrial base is characteristic
of all the military branches. For example, South Korea's submarine designs
are based on German sources, and many of its aircraft are produced by US
aerospace contractors. 30 Nevertheless, significant proportions of
the electronics for certain imported weapons systems are manufactured in
South Korea. 31
South Korea's Air Force consists of about
60,000 airmen, with another 55,000 in reserve. The South Korean Air Force
provides more examples of heavy reliance on foreign military hardware.
Unlike the US Air Force, the South Korean Air Force does not include a
space wing. Satellite manufacturing and launch vehicle research are
conducted at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). 32 KARI is the center of
all South Korean space activities and is discussed later in greater
detail.
Chart 12
South Korean Air Force Manpower/Equipment33
The makeup of the South Korean military
directly reflects both South Korea's strategic position and its largely
defensive military posture. The South Korean military is numerically
inferior to that of its neighbor, several of which may be considered
hostile. The large US military presence has, combined with South Korea's
indigenous military capabilities, maintained a military balance on the
peninsula. In 1954 the United States and South Korea entered into a mutual
defense agreement, and it is this agreement, along with the US presence
required by it, that has proved definitive in maintaining the military
status quo in Korea. While US troop deployment has shrunk over the years
(in 1990 the United States had 44,500 troops in Korea and currently the US
force size has shrunk to 37,00034), the US military presence in South Korea
is still significant (Chart 1-3). The South Koreans ability to rely
heavily on the US presence to deter threats has lifted part of the
military burden from South Korea. At the same time, this presence has led
North Korea to strengthen its military to counter the threat posed by US
forces. This is a textbook example of a classic security dilemma. South
Korea is currently exploring ways to decrease the US presence in the
region in hopes of reducing tensions between it and North Korea. While
moves toward closer North-South relations are under way, reunification
still seems years away.
Chart 13
Selected US Forces Korea (USFK)
Equipment35
Force |
Quantity |
Equipment |
Eigth US Army |
| |
|
|
140 |
M1 tanks |
|
170 |
Bradley armored vehicles |
|
30 |
155m Howitzers |
|
70 |
AH-64 helicopters |
|
Unknown |
Patriot Missile Batteries |
US Air Forces Korea |
|
|
70 |
F-16s |
20 |
A-10s |
2 |
U-2s |
In January 2001, South Korea announced its
intention to develop and deploy missiles with a range of 187 miles and a
payload of up to 1,200 pounds, which will allow South Korea to strike deep
into North Korean territories. 36 South Korea has presented its decision to
enhance its missile capabilities as defensive, however, the new missiles
could also be used in offensive actions. Because of close ROK-US
relations, the United States has been willing to accept South Korea's
assertion that the missiles will be defensive only. South Korea's decision
was made following negotiations with the United States to revise an
earlier agreement. In 1979, South Korea agreed to limit the range of its
military missiles to 180 km in order to avoid an arms race on the Korean
peninsula. In return, the United States agreed to grant South Korea US
missile technology. South Korea's decision to proceed with its missile
development was accompanied by the announcement of its plans to join the
Missile Technology Control Regime, likely an attempt to avoid an
escalation of the North-South Korean arms race.
SPACE TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS
The main organization in the South Korean
government tasked with space research, development, testing, and
evaluation is the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). It was
established in 1989 as an institute within the Korea Institute of
Machinery and Metals (KIMM). In 1996 KARI became independent of KIMM. 37 The structure of
Korean government aerospace is unique. In the United States, there are
civil, military, and intelligence space organizations, as well as a
commercial space industry. On the other hand, in South Korea, KARI
supports industry, universities, research institutes, and the military.
South Korea has primarily been interested in space for its potential
economic benefits, with a strong secondary focus on space's scientific
applications. However, South Korea's knowledge of US systems, and its own
advanced military technologies have certainly led to an awareness of the
potential military benefits of space-based systems. South Korea has
depended on the United States for access to space-based, military enabling
technologies (from launch capability to communication and remote sensing
satellite elements), yet recent South Korean actions suggest a readiness
to confront the technological and economic challenges of space activities
on their own. The ability to access space independently would allow South
Korea the possibility of exploring possible military applications of
space.
To date, KARI has been involved in three
large projects: the Korean Multi-Purpose Satellite (KOMPSAT) series, a
communications satellite, and a small satellite launch vehicle. The launch
vehicle program is currently focused on a vehicle called the KSR-III,
which is an intermediate stage of the final vehicle development scheme. 38
KOMPSAT-1 was launched on 22 December 1999
from Cape Canaveral on a Taurus launch vehicle. The satellite was
developed by TRW and built by KARI. It carries a low-resolution (1km) CCD
camera for ocean color measurement, a 7m panchromatic camera, an
ionospheric sensor, and a high-energy particle detector. 39
The follow-on project, KOMPSAT-2,
will be more ambitious than its predecessor. KOMPSAT-2 will carry a 4m
multispectral camera, and a 1m panchromatic camera. An Israeli firm,
El-Op, will produce the camera, which will be fitted onto a South
Korean-built bus. This sale involves a significant amount of technology
transfer. While KOMPSAT-2 is officially intended for civil purposes, its
fine resolution will be ideal for intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance military missions. Even though similar capabilities are
commercially available, KOMPSAT-2 will be uniquely valuable to South
Korea. In essence South Korea will have guaranteed access to high-quality
imagery. South Korea's ability to obtain its own imagery without US veto
may mark a certain erosion of US regional influence. This type of
technological advance could have significant international repercussions,
including the possibility that North Korea would attempt to secure a
similar technology for itself from Russian or Chinese sources.
The goal of the KARI satellite
communications project is for the ROK to produce its own communications
satellite. To date South Korea has relied on foreign prime contractors to
produce their communications satellites. South Korean satellite
communications began with the small KITSAT-1 and KITSAT-2 satellites,
launched in 1992 and 1993 respectively. KARI and the University of Surrey,
England co-developed both satellites. The KITSATs were microsatellites
with modest "store and forward" messaging capabilities. 40 Later, South Korea
contracted with Lockheed Martin to build two large communications
satellites, Koreasat-1 and Koreasat-2. These satellites were launched in
August of 1995 and January of 1996, respectively. On September 4, 1999,
Arianespace launched Koreasat-3, which was built by Lockheed Martin, with
assistance from Korean contractors Daewoo, Doowon, Halla Engineering,
Hyundai, and Korean Air (Chart 2 -1). 41
Chart 21
Koreasat Technical Data42,43
Koreasat-1
| 15 Ku-band transponders, GEO orbit
|
Koreasat-2
| 15 Ku-band transponders, GEO orbit
|
Koreasat-3
| 24 Ku-band (Fixed Satellite Service), 6 Ku-Band (DBS), 3 Ka-Band
Transponders, GEO orbit
|
KARI began using small sounding rockets in
1993. The KSR-I single stage sounding rocket had a payload of 150-kg, and
an apogee of 40 - 55 km. It was used for gathering basic scientific
information over the Korean peninsula. KSR-II was launched in 1997 as
two-stage rocket with a 150-kg scientific payload and 130 - 150 km apogee.
44 Despite its
development of indigenous launch vehicles, all of South Korea's major
satellites, including KOMPSAT and Koreasat have been launched on either US
or French launch vehicles.
KARI is now working on the KSR-III, which
is also a sub-orbital sounding rocket. In December 1999, South Korea
announced plans to have an operational commercial launch vehicle for small
satellites by 2005. 45
South Korea would begin building a launch facility in 2001 and complete it
in 2004. 46
Development of such a rocket will likely cost between $500 million and $1
billion. 47 South
Korea hopes that development of an indigenous space launch ability will
encourage its high technology industries, guarantee Korean access to
launches, and potentially generate profits for the nation. While South
Korea has stated its proposed rocket would not be intended for military
purposes, international security analysts fear that the technology could
easily be transferred to military purposes, either by South Korea or by
other nations. With its own launcher, it would be easier for South Korea
to build long-range missiles (see discussion of South Korean missile
developments in prior section). While South Korea has legitimate economic
motivations for its desire to create its own rocket launcher, this
technology clearly has potential military utility. Even if South Korea
does not utilize its launcher for military purposes, other nations in the
region may react by enhancing their military technologies and capabilities
accordingly.
South Korea has access to many advanced
space services because of its friendly relationship with the Western
world. It is also well positioned to buy and use commercial satellite
imagery because of its relatively strong economy and "friendly"
international status. Its military ties with the US allow South Korea
access to sensitive critical data concerning its more hostile neighbors.
South Korea has access to space manufacturing technology via numerous
international firms. Its recent purchase of a high resolution camera from
Israel shows that even critical technologies are available for purchase in
the international market.
South Korea considers a strong domestic
economy and diverse economic ties as essential to both its economic health
and its security environment. It continues to solidify its industrial
base, and work to enhance its aerospace industry, both through technology
transfer, and through enhancement of its domestic industry. Domestically,
South Korea maintains a strong electronics industry. Many South Korean
companies have experience building components for various satellite
systems like Globalstar and Iridium. 48 Since 1997, Hyundai Electronics Industries
has pursued contracts as a prime contractor on satellite manufacturing,
and had competed for the Koreasat-1 satellite contract that eventually was
awarded to Lockheed Martin.
Korea's strong economy is increasingly matched by a robust democracy- but
the lingering threat of North Korea continues to cast a shadow over South
Korea's development.
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