Joint Statement from the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Korea at the United States-Republic of Korea Civil Space Dialogue

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Republic of Korea at the Fourth United States-Republic of Korea Civil Space Dialogue.

Officials from the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) met in Washington, DC on April 14 for the fourth U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue. The U.S. Department of State’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Technology, and Space Affairs Rahima Kandahari and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Associate Administrator for International Relations Karen Feldstein jointly led an interagency U.S. delegation. The ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Director-General of the Climate Change, Environment and Scientific Affairs Bureau Minyoung Han and Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) Vice Administrator of Mission Directorates John Lee jointly led the ROK delegation.

Noting that the U.S.-ROK Alliance stands as the linchpin of peace, security, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific, the two sides committed to strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance through further space cooperation, including joint research in space exploration and science, Earth observation, and enhanced regulatory cooperation.

Space officials for the United States and the ROK discussed enhancing space exploration cooperation in Artemis and other missions and noted NASA and KASA’s October 2024 completion of a study agreement on future Artemis cooperation. The two sides shared progress on the implementation of the study agreement and noted ongoing discussions on the use of the Korean Deep Space Antennae (KDSA) to support Artemis and other missions. The two sides plan to continue discussing how to boost the ROK investment in capabilities that support shared goals in Moon and Mars exploration.

The two sides also discussed the ROK’s activities to develop and mature Korean human spaceflight capabilities and will explore potential human spaceflight opportunities to low Earth orbit. The two sides discussed recent space science cooperation, such as implementing the September 2024 NASA-KASA study agreement on cooperation for a potential KASA-led Earth-Sun Lagrange Point 4 Mission and identifying opportunities to expand partnerships to upcoming NASA-led astrophysics missions.

In Earth observation, the two sides discussed continued collaboration on future next-generation meteorological geostationary satellites, and potential ROK participation in the U.S. Landsat 2030 International Partnership Initiative. The two sides affirmed their desire to expand cooperation in exchanging satellite data, including from Compact Advanced Satellite 4 (CAS500-4) scheduled for launch in 2026, to enhance the usability of satellite data, increase the interoperability of satellites of both countries, and strengthen agricultural monitoring and real-time response capabilities to disasters and emergencies. The two sides also highlighted the successful Airborne and Satellite Investigation of the Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) mission from 2024 and the soon to be released joint Rapid Science Synthesis Report.

The two sides welcomed the successful launch of NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope, in which the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) participates as an instrument and science partner. The two sides intend to further strengthen our partnership in astronomy and space weather, including ROK cooperation in NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission and NOAA’s Space Weather Follow On – Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) mission. The two sides also intend to expand efforts in key technologies to enhance space weather prediction and forecasting capabilities.

The United States pledged to continue support for the ROK’s development of the Korean Positioning System (KPS) as an interoperable regional system that complements the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), including potentially hosting KPS ground monitor stations on U.S. territory. As the host country for the 19th annual meeting of the UN-affiliated International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) scheduled for October 2025, the ROK will welcome the U.S. delegation as its most important partner in satellite navigation cooperation.

Noting the success of the ROK-U.S. Space Industry Symposium held November 8, 2023, in Seoul, the United States and ROK intend to continue discussions to facilitate deeper U.S.-ROK commercial space cooperation, including potential ROK support for space situational awareness, lunar exploration, and resilient supply chains. The U.S. encouraged the ROK and Korean companies to engage with private U.S. firms that are working to establish Commercial LEO Destinations (CLDs). The two sides intend to explore opportunities for ROK’s participation in lunar exploration through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. NASA and KASI noted significant progress towards launching KASI’s lunar science payload on a NASA CLPS mission in 2026. The two sides discussed the possibility of exchanging radiation test data and enhancing resilient supply chains by mutually recognizing their test reports or certifications.

On regulatory alignment, the ROK presented its space regulatory framework for the launch and the operation of spaceports, and the United States also presented its launch and re-entry regulatory framework. The two sides noted the recent meeting of the U.S.-ROK Working Group on Export Controls as affirmed in the third Civil Space Dialogue. The two sides intend to hold a follow-up meeting later this year to enhance mutual understanding on this issue.

The two sides plan to continue to meet to share standards and best practices for leveraging space situational awareness capabilities to improve spaceflight safety and sustainability. The two sides recognized the importance of improved international coordination on this issue, including discussion of data and information sharing principles and engagement with private sector space actors.

To enhance U.S.-ROK Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), the two sides discussed how to cooperate in providing satellite data for securing safe maritime transportation routes and addressing various maritime security threats. The two sides discussed how to enhance cooperation on information and infrastructure between the U.S. National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office and the Korea Coast Guard.

The two countries intend to enhance our close cooperation on advancing the peaceful exploration and use of space at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), in the Artemis Accords signatory group, in global fora such as the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), in regional fora such as the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) and in trilateral U.S.-ROK-Japan civil and commercial space cooperation.

The U.S. delegation included representatives from the Department of State, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce (OSC), the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIO), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The ROK delegation included representatives from the MOFA, KASA, the Rural Development Administration (RDA), the Korea Coast Guard (KCG), the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), and KASI.

To further bilateral civil and commercial space cooperation, the two sides plan to hold the U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue every two years, with the ROK hosting the next dialogue in 2027.