US Forces Korea launched a new space unit on Wednesday as the allies ramp up efforts to better counter North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.
The US Space Forces Korea is the second overseas space component of the Space Force and is tasked with monitoring, detecting and tracking incoming missiles and bolstering the military’s overall space capability.
US Forces Korea commander Gen. Paul LaCamera hosted a ceremony at Osan Air Base in the South Korean city of Pyeongtaek to mark the creation of the unit, which Lt. Col. Joshua McCallion will lead.
“The U.S. military is faster, better connected, more informed, precise and lethal because of space. The establishment of the U.S. Space Force in 2019 has helped ensure the United States is postured to deter aggression and out-pace potential adversaries in the face of changing threats in the space environment and growing threats elsewhere. Specifically, the activation here today of U.S. Space Force Korea, a sub-component of the U.S. Space Forces Indo Pacific, enhances our ability to defend our homelands and should ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in North East Asia,” he said
The launch came as Seoul and Washington seek to boost security cooperation to deter North Korea, which has tested intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US mainland this year.
