Space center, an 'inspiring achievement' for ROK Air Force

Col. Park Ki-tae, director of the Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters Space Center / Courtesy of the ROK Air Force

Air Force launches new organization after over 30 years of efforts

By Kang Seung-woo

After seeing the U.S. military victory in the 1990-91 Gulf War using space-based intelligence capabilities, the Republic of Korean Air Force started building up its own military space program.

Over 30 years of efforts toward enhancing space power finally paid off, Sept. 30, as the Air Force launched its space center ― the first among the nation's three military branches.

Col. Park Ki-tae, director of the ROK Air Force Headquarters Space Center, described its establishment as an “inspiring achievement” from the organization's years-long commitment to enhancing its space capabilities.

“Despite assuming an important mission as the first head of the space center, I am ready to contribute to improving space power, taking advantage of the wealth of know-how that we have acquired in the lead-up to the center's creation,” Park said in a written interview with The Korea Times.

Park admitted that the U.S. use of space power in the Gulf War 30 years ago had an influence on the Air Force's decision.

“Our review of the conflict found that space power in warfare was the key to operating air, naval and ground forces in warfare, and we formed a unit devoted to space,” he said.

According to him, the unit belonged to the Space Division of the Air and Space Combat Development Branch, but the expanded space center is now under the direct control of the Air Force chief of staff, which the center head believes would make it far easier to cooperate with domestic and international partners.

According to the Air Force, the space center is comprised of three departments ― the Space Policy Branch, the Space Asset Development Branch and the Korea Space Operations Center.

Park said that the Air Force plans to expand its cooperation with the U.S. Space Force, arguably the biggest military space program.

In August, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Park In-ho signed a memorandum of understanding with Gen. John Raymond, the U.S. Space Force's chief of space operations, on the formation of a joint space policy consultative body, becoming official partners in space security cooperation.

“In the future, the Air Force and the U.S. Space Force will share information on space surveillance and on improving joint space operations capabilities,” the space center chief said.

Following the establishment of the Air Force's space center, the Army and the Navy are also developing their own space programs.

The colonel said, “If the three military branches cooperate on expanding space capabilities based on economic efficiency and integration, the nation could see a quantum leap in the field.”