The Republic of Korea would like to be able to launch its satellites from Australian territory, an important capability in time of war with North Korea when small surveillance satellites would need to be replaced regularly and rapidly.
Korea would also like to increase the number of its troops exercising in Australia.
Around 800, comprising a battalion group, participated in the recent Talisman Sabre 2025 defence exercise but that could expand to a brigade-sized group of around 3,000.
Visiting Australia earlier this month to meet officials and attend the Korea Australia Defence Conference, Republic of Korea Deputy Minister in the Office of Resources management Cho HyunKi told reporters Korea saw big opportunities for working with Australia on space and space launch.
“Korea is currently in the process of acquiring many space assets. These assets will serve the purpose of first detecting preliminary signs of provocation in terms of nuclear and missile threat from North Korea. Secondly to find responses against these threats from the north,” he said.
That would include multiple small surveillance satellites with EO/IR and SAR capabilities.
“Korea needs these capabilities but it’s not just for Korea. There is an opportunity for us to cooperate with our allies and utilise and leverage the assets that all of our allies have in this region and find area of cooperation in space,” he said.
Even in peacetime, North Korea regards any space launch from South Korea as provocative, though it finds no issues with conducting its own missile tests.
Last year, Korea’s Minister of Future Capabilities in the Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) Seok Jong-gun visited Australia to talk about using Australian space launch sites.
“We have also had talks and considered the sharing of information that is acquired through these space assets between our two countries,” Minister Cho said in Canberra.
This would appear to be a useful supplementary capability for Australia, now seeking to stand up sovereign space surveillance and communications through a reconsidered Joint Project 9102.
Australia has a number of new and so far little-used space launch sites, in the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia.
Minister Cho told reporters he visited Woomera in South Australia 14 years ago. At that time, that was the only viable launch site though it was then only used for missile and other trials.
The Australian Defence Department said Korea could use the site for launches, though it would have to provide its own facilities and test instrumentation.
“Fast forward to today, though multiple consultations and discussions, this is an issue we can actually resolve,” he said.
“We are trying to acquire space launching sites that are off the Korean peninsula. I am no expert on space launching sites but there are a multitude of other launching sites within Australian that have very geographically advantageous characteristics.
“We can say Woomera; but we can also consider Darwin and Adelaide. They are very well suited conditions for deployment of space assets.”
Korea and Australia have long been strategic partners but Korea’s efforts to sell its defence equipment down under haven’t always been happy.
Korean company Hanwha Defence Australia is set to supply the ADF with new Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) and Huntsman Self-propelled Howitzers (SPHs) from a new factory in Victoria.
But more than a decade back, Korea’s bid to sell SPHs to the Australian Army was knocked back, with a substantial ill-feeing. More recently, Korea failed to make the shortlist to supply Australia with new general-purpose Frigates.
Former Australian Ambassador to Korea Bill Patterson told the conference it had not been an easy time for Korea dealing with the Australian defence sector.
He said the bid by Hanwha Ocean to acquire a stake in Australian shipbuilder Austal had encountered a lot of quite irrational and nationalistic opposition, particularly in Western Australia where Austal is based.
“Nobody is looking at what this might do for the growth of employment (or) the transfer of technology if we had a Hanwha involvement in Austal,” he said.
“Everybody knows Hanwha Ocean’s interest in Austal is focused very much on Austal facilities in the US. We ought to be looking much more positive at what this can do for Australia.”