By Park Si-soo
On Nov. 13, the United States and South Korea held the annual U.S.-South Korea Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) in Seoul, the highest-level defense meeting between the two countries. Below are space-related highlights from the joint statement.
The two sides expressed strong condemnation of the DPRK's recent actions, including its multiple missile launches, attempted space launch, and involvement in arms trade with Russia. These actions were deemed clear violations of existing UN Security Council Resolutions.
In response to these developments, the Secretary and the Minister agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the realms of space and cyber defense. This collaboration aims to enhance the Alliance's ability to effectively counter emerging threats and bolster its comprehensive response capabilities.
The two leaders acknowledged the ongoing efforts of defense authorities to protect critical infrastructure, including information and space systems. They commended the Space Cooperation Working Group for its valuable contributions and pledged to deepen the Alliance's space cooperation, particularly in expanding space situational awareness information sharing.
The Secretary and the Minister also recognized the significance of the Space Cooperation TTX, held in September for the first time in six years. This exercise facilitated in-depth discussions on the direction of bilateral space cooperation and promoted a shared understanding of deterrence and threats in the space domain.
Building upon the commitment to expand the Alliance's cooperation into cyberspace, the two leaders reaffirmed their intention to strengthen defense cyber cooperation. This includes establishing the first bilateral cyber exercise and ROK participation in the annual U.S.-led Cyber Flag exercise.
The two leaders further highlighted the progress made in U.S.-ROK defense science and technology cooperation, which has expanded into various domains, including space, quantum, cyber defense, artificial intelligence, autonomy, and directed energy.
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