1. Mr. Park Il, Director-General for Nonproliferation and Nuclear Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, held the 4^th ROK-U.S. Space Policy Dialogue (SPD) in Washington, D.C. on August 10, 2021, with Mr. Eric Desautels, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance at the United States Department of State.

2. The ROK-U.S. SPD kicked off in 2015 to jointly deal with global issues, particularly to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of space security. Last year, the 3^rd ROK-U.S. SPD was held in a virtual format due to the COVID-19 situation.

3. The two sides appreciated that the scope of the ROK-U.S. alliance and their comprehensive partnership has expanded into a new domain, including space, which was made clear in the ROK-U.S. Leaders’ Joint Statement* released on May 21, 2021, as the outcome of the ROK-U.S. Summit. Facing the “New Space” era, the two sides decided to strengthen comprehensive cooperation in the field of space with respect to all sectors, including the civil sector, government, and military.

* ROK-U.S. Leaders’ Joint Statement (May 21, 2021)

1. The Alliance: Opening a New Chapter

“We also agree to deepen cooperation in other domains, including cyber and space, to ensure an effective joint response against emerging threats.”

2. The Way Forward: Comprehensive Partnership for a Better Future

“President Biden and President Moon also commit to strengthening their partnership in civil space exploration, science, and aeronautics research and will cooperate towards the ROK signing the Artemis Accords.”

4. In addition, the two sides shared their views on space threats, which can become a grave danger to the peaceful use of outer space and the creation of a safe, secure, and sustainable space environment. In order to prevent such threats, the two sides discussed cooperation in shaping multilateral norms, rules, and principles as well as collaboration in the field of Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

5. The two sides agreed to hold the 5^th ROK-U.S. SPD in Seoul, Korea, next year and solidify strategic communication and cooperation in the field of space security by holding the ROK-U.S. SPD regularly in the future.