Joint Statement by the Governments of the United States and the Republic of Korea on the U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue

Key Chapter Title List

1. Meeting Background and Delegation Composition
2. Space Exploration and Cooperation: Artemis Program and Deep Space Exploration
3. Human Spaceflight Capability Development and Low Earth Orbit Opportunities
4. Space Science Cooperation and Astrophysics Mission Expansion
5. Earth Observation and Satellite Data Collaboration
6. Astronomy and Space Weather Cooperation Enhancement
7. Commercial Space Cooperation and Industry Integration
8. Regulatory Coordination and Export Control Dialogue
9. Space Situational Awareness and Space Security
10. Maritime Domain Awareness Cooperation
11. Multilateral and Regional Forum Cooperation
12. Future Dialogue Mechanism and Follow-up Plans

Document Introduction

This report provides an in-depth analysis based on the "Joint Statement of the Governments of the United States and the Republic of Korea on the U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue" released in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 2025. This statement marks the outcome of the fourth U.S.-ROK Civil Space Dialogue, jointly led by officials from core agencies including the U.S. Department of State, NASA, the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The document explicitly states at the outset that the U.S.-ROK alliance is a cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, setting a strategic and political foundation for comprehensive cooperation in the civil space domain.

The report systematically outlines the six core areas of cooperation covered in the dialogue. In space exploration, both sides focused on deepening cooperation within the framework of the Artemis program, including the cooperative research agreement completed in October 2024, the potential support of Korean deep space antennas for missions, and prospects for jointly investing in lunar and Mars exploration capabilities. Concurrently, the development of ROK's human spaceflight capabilities and the exploration of low Earth orbit flight opportunities were included on the agenda. Regarding space science cooperation, discussions involved joint studies on Earth-Sun Lagrange Point L4 missions and expanding partnerships in future NASA-led astrophysics missions.

Earth observation and data application constitute another key area of collaboration. Cooperation covers next-generation geostationary meteorological satellites, ROK's participation in the U.S. "Landsat 2030" International Partnership Program, and enhancing data availability, satellite interoperability, and strengthening agricultural monitoring and disaster emergency response capabilities through satellite data exchange (such as data from the CAS500-4 satellite planned for launch in 2026). Both sides also acknowledged the success of the joint airborne and satellite investigation mission for Asian air quality and ongoing partnerships in astronomy and space weather forecasting technologies (such as participation in the IMAP and SWFO-L1 missions).

Commercial space and industry cooperation show a trend of integration. Both sides intend to deepen commercial space cooperation, including potential ROK support for space situational awareness, lunar exploration, and resilient supply chains, encouraging Korean enterprises to engage with U.S. commercial low Earth orbit destination projects, and exploring participation in lunar exploration through the "Commercial Lunar Payload Services" program. On regulatory coordination, both sides exchanged information on the regulatory frameworks for launch site operations and spaceport management and plan to hold follow-up meetings on export control issues to enhance mutual understanding.

In security-related areas, the dialogue involved sharing standards and practices for using space situational awareness capabilities to enhance spaceflight safety and sustainability, as well as strengthening maritime domain awareness through satellite data cooperation to ensure maritime transportation security and address security threats. Furthermore, both sides committed to strengthening civil and commercial space cooperation in multilateral settings such as UN-affiliated bodies, regional forums, and the U.S.-Japan-ROK trilateral mechanism.

Finally, the document clarifies the broad composition of departments within both delegations and establishes a biennial mechanism for holding the Civil Space Dialogue, with the next dialogue scheduled for 2027 in the Republic of Korea. This report aims to provide professional readers with an authoritative assessment of the latest developments, strategic intentions, and specific implementation pathways of U.S.-ROK space cooperation.