South Korea and US ease rocket fuel restrictions as Seoul seeks ‘unblinking eye’ to monitor Pyongyang
- Washington and Seoul in 1979 agreed restrictions on the use of solid fuel out of concern bigger missiles could provoke a regional arms race
- Under eased restrictions, South Korea could use two or three low-Earth orbit satellites to more effectively surveil North Korea
Kim Hyun-chong, deputy presidential national security adviser, on Tuesday told reporters that all South Korean research institutes, companies and individuals would be free to develop, produce and possess space launch rockets using solid fuel.
Such a technical development would greatly advance the military’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and boost the space programme of the private sector, he said.
“Given continued efforts, we will have the capability of launching military reconnaissance satellites into low orbits with the altitude of 500-2,000km by our own hands and out of our own need [by the end of 2020],” Kim said.
Solid fuel offers greater mobility for missiles and rockets, and reduces launch preparation time. But in 1979, Washington and Seoul agreed restrictions on the use of solid propellant for space launch rockets out of concern it could be used to produce bigger missiles and provoke a regional arms race.