Increasing Space Debris Poses Invisible Threat to Security

The Defense Counterintelligence Command Hosts Defense Security Conference
Increasing Space Threats Including Missile Interception Tests

The United States has designated North Korea as an emerging threat to space security and is regularly assessing and devising countermeasures against surrounding countries' threats in space. In response, there are calls for South Korea to promptly establish a space risk management system to prevent attacks targeting space systems and to ensure the capability to conduct space operations.

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Researcher Yoon Hong of the Defense Security Research Institute under the Republic of Korea Military Counterintelligence Command presented the policy directions South Korea should pursue regarding national defense space security at the 18th Defense Security Conference on the 6th, through a paper titled "Directions for National Defense Space Security Policy in the Opening Era of Space."

Researcher Yoon reported that the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) under the U.S. Department of Defense identified North Korea, asteroids, solar sunspot explosions, directed energy (laser) weapons, electronic warfare, and cyberattacks as challenges to space security. He explained, "The DIA designated North Korea as an emerging threat to space security because it believes North Korea possesses ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) technology."

The DIA publishes a biennial report titled "Challenges to Space Security," which outlines threats and challenges related to space security posed by surrounding countries, including North Korea.

He cited missile interception tests by the U.S., China, Russia, and India, space debris, and software supply chains in the space sector as space risks. Researcher Yoon pointed out that there are approximately 29,000 pieces of space debris larger than 10 cm, about 670,000 pieces between 1 and 10 cm, and 17 billion pieces between 1 mm and 1 cm in space. He noted that an object with a diameter of 1.2 cm colliding at a speed of 6.8 km/h can destroy an 18 cm thick protective wall.

Accordingly, as South Korea expands its national defense space capabilities, a new risk management system is necessary to guarantee the safety of space systems and the continuous provision of space operation capabilities. He emphasized that research should be conducted on operational security threat factors in the space environment in connection with core technologies for developing national defense space weapon systems. He added, "There is a need for dedicated national defense space security organizations and legislation reflecting national defense space security policies and risk management systems."

About 1,000 people attended the conference held at The-K Hotel in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, including Deputy Minister of National Defense Shin Beom-cheol, National Assembly Intelligence Committee Chairman Park Deok-heum, Korea University Professor Lim Jong-in, and Counterintelligence Command Commander Hwang Yoo-sung.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.