- SEOUL — US space firm SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service is
expected to be available in South Korea this year, following a recent revision
to the Radio Waves Act, the science ministry said on Sunday.
-
- Starlink Korea LLC applied for approval of a cross-border
supply agreement from the Ministry of Science and ICT in May 2023 to provide
its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet service.
-
- According to the ministry, the government amended related
regulations this month concerning Elon Musk-owned Starlink's use of local
frequencies, reports Yonhap news agency.
-
- "For the approval, Starlink Korea submitted its business
plans, and the Telecommunications Policy Bureau is reviewing their business
feasibility," Kim Nam-cheol, director general of the ministry's radio
policy bureau, said during a recent briefing.
Also read: Google to empower 20 AI-powered Indian startups
- Regarding the specific launch timeline, Kim said the service
could begin as early as June or later this year.
-
- Starlink's British rival, OneWeb, is also exploring
opportunities to offer its LEO satellite internet service in Asia's
fourth-largest economy, he added.
-
- Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet service
worldwide through a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites.
-
- Under South Korean law, foreign companies must sign a supply
agreement with a local telecommunications operator to introduce their communications
network services domestically.
-
- If adopted, LEO satellite communication services will enable
high-speed internet access in regions with traditionally poor connectivity, as
well as on ships and aircraft, where low-speed satellite internet is currently
common, the ministry said in a press release.
-
- "In particular, the maritime industry stands to benefit
significantly. Crews on long-haul voyages will gain access to over-the-top
(OTT) media services and video calls, marking a major improvement in welfare
and communication options for seafarers," it said.
-
- To compete with first movers, South Korea announced plans
last year to launch two homegrown LEO satellites using sixth-generation (6G)
communications network technology by 2030.
-
- LEO satellites, orbiting between 300 and 1,500 kilometers
above Earth, can provide high-speed, low-latency communications thanks to their
proximity to the planet, compared with geostationary orbit satellites.
-
- On Friday, the government designated the Electronics and
Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), telecommunications equipment
manufacturer SOLiD and Korea Aerospace Industries Co. (KAI), the nation's sole
aircraft maker, as key organizations for developing a domestic 6G-based LEO
satellite communications system.
-
- "We are aiming to launch two domestically developed LEO
satellites aboard the homegrown space rocket Nuri by 2030," Kim said.
-
- The government plans to invest a total of 320 billion won
(US$234 million) over six years through 2030 in the development project,
anticipating the global LEO satellite internet service market will grow to 740
trillion won by 2040.