[INTERVIEW] SpaceX's Starlink in Kyiv is wake-up call for Seoul

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, May 27. The rocket is carrying the BADR-8 communications satellite for Arabsat. AP-Yonhap

This is the last in a two-part interview series with experts regarding the validity of South Korea's aim to become a real player in the burgeoning space sector after the successful placement of small satellites into geosynchronous orbit on May 25 during the third launch of the locally-developed rocket Nuri, also known as KSLV-II. _ ED.

US national security expert advises S. Korea to promote public-private partnership in space industry

By Kim Yoo-chul

The South Korean government has been asked to promote the private sector to help the country maintain its upward trajectory in the booming space sector as entrepreneurs begin to take hold of satellite and private spaceship development markets, a U.S. national security expert said.

Starlink's satellite internet terminals for the use of Elon Musk's SpaceX in Ukraine is a good example of where new competition is welcome and could significantly improve public and governmental choice, according to Irina Tsukerman, a member of the Foreign Policy Association (FPA), in a recent interview with The Korea Times. Founded in 1918, the New York-based FPA is a nonprofit educational organization aimed at discussing top U.S. foreign policy concerns.

"Elon Musk has essentially monopolized the private satellite networks which create significant policy concerns. While his donation of Starlink satellite internet terminals to Ukraine is most welcome, Musk has chosen to limit communications to both non-lethal and non-military applications, which significantly reduces its utility," Tsukerman said.

"Musk might have reconsidered had there been viable private competition at play and had his contracts been dependent on his willingness to deliver to his client's (the U.S. government) specifications. Or else, other owners could negotiate other types of deals and make other choices," she added.

Within that context, the South Korean government could "assist in that respect" by promoting public-private partnerships with private developers in the space sector by encouraging education, supporting more institutional/academic research through broad grants to private researchers and facilitating deregulation allowing the "private sector to flourish in areas with potential application for both private and government interests," said Tsukerman, who is also a commentator on Fox News and New York Post.

The Pentagon recently agreed to purchase Starlink satellite terminals from Musk's SpaceX for use in Ukraine as satellite communications constitute a vital layer in Kyiv's overall communications network. But SpaceX stressed its intent for the provision of its internet terminals was never to have them use it for "offensive purposes."

Irina Tsukerman / Courtesy of Irina Tsukerman

"South Korea already has a culture and government encouragement for hard work, strong cooperation, persistence and dedication, and high-quality standards. The key now is how to encourage creativity and the individual accomplishments that create great leaders to great teams," she said.

She elaborated that scientific breakthroughs frequently follow generations of steadfast cooperative research projects and are built on the shoulders of other giants. "By contrast, the entrepreneurship to bring the science into the practicable commercial realm and make it fit with the demands of the time is very much an individual and individualist endeavor."

Seoul ideal partner in space industry cooperation

Because the general mindset in Washington is to support "industrial and government independence" from Russia and to foster regional alliance integration on the assortment of economic, defense, scientific and technical issues, Seoul is advised to take the lead in priority projects and push for them both independently and with interested stakeholders, according to Tsukerman.

"The White House is distracted with various international priorities as there are geopolitical fires popping up all over the world (many with Russia's direct involvement), which makes it difficult to fully dedicate the relevant administration personnel to any one particular issue. The U.S. would be willing to cooperate only if South Korea can get past layers of bureaucracy and misplaced priorities," she claimed.

The U.S. is particularly concerned about China and Russia's influence in the space sector, possibly laser wars. Because Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, it would "behoove South Korea to join a research coalition" on developing effective space force programs if only for self-defense and scientific understanding of possible applicable principles.

Citing South Korean companies' advantages in terms of the delivery of quality heavy products and their dedication to productivity and self-sufficiency, Tsukerman said South Korea is an "ideal partner" with the U.S. in the space sector.

"These kinds of dedication by South Korean companies and the growing trajectory of their general defense products in terms of popularity are necessary to complement the U.S. achievements to inspire new companies entering the space sector to be dedicated to merit and to bring creative collaborations to better products," she explained.

A TV screen shows a file image of Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during a news program at the Seoul Station, June 1. Kim Yo-jong accused the United States of "gangster-like" hypocrisy for criticizing her country's failed launch of a military spy satellite and insisted that the North will follow with a successful launch soon. AP-Yonhap

South Korea's defense industry reported more than $17 billion worth of arms sales in 2022 from $7.25 billion the year before, according to the country's defense ministry. Its defense budget is the 10th largest in the world in terms of size. Tsukerman stressed South Korea is on the right track to grow its space sector based on the culture of trust among contractors.

"It appears to be much more efficient in funding the right things than the U.S. by comparison ― probably due to the culture of honesty and trust among contractors of major defense companies, which is likely to lead to speedier successes in areas such as aerospace defense. It's a culture that values self-reflection and embraces criticism, not just throwing money at lobbyists to use PR to get away from accountability," the New York attorney said.

Space sector in Washington-Beijing competition

From a supply chain standpoint, Tsukerman stressed South Korea's deepening alliance with U.S.'s like-minded allies will be a plus factor.

"Seoul also has a significant commercial and economic opportunity because military research also tends to hold potential for significant applications in the civilian/private sectors that could help generate new economic activity not just empower the defense sector. Growth and prosperity are key to circumventing China's regional pressures, investments and manipulations," she answered.

According to her assessment, despite China's dependence on memory chip products manufactured by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix in various Chinese cities, China still views South Korea as an inferior power.

"Strengthening Seoul's alliance with techno-democracies is more than just temporarily freezing Beijing's immediate capabilities. South Korea and other countries should solidify not only their research ties in this endeavor to stay more than a few steps ahead in the new arms race but also to increase security cooperation against China's security services. South Korea can play an invaluable part in it. Keeping that in mind, China has significant vulnerabilities that can be exploited. But it also tries to compensate by the infiltration of those with the capabilities it needs," according to the expert.

She said the space sector is already the target of the Washington-Beijing competition as the Biden administration made it clear that threats from China and Russia in laser wars are looming. The current competition between the world's top two economies is not, therefore, just an issue of some "limited private rivalry."

"For that reason, South Korea has as much at stake in the space sector as the U.S. does, and possibly more, precisely because it is farther behind, and precisely because it is smaller, geographically closer to China and also seeks to create its own legacy, not merely serve as a satellite to other countries' agendas," Tsukerman explained.

Staff members stand near the Shenzhou-16 spacecraft sitting atop a Long March rocket covered on a launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, May 29. China's space program plans to land astronauts on the moon before 2030. AP-Yonhap