Korean Right-Wing Media: Trump Launches "Golden Dome" to Incite Competition with China, South Korea Should Turn the "Golden Dome" Strategy into an Opportunity for Itself
A space sensor and interception system composed of over 1,000 satellites can early suppress threats from China, Russia, and North Korea... If the "Golden Dome" is utilized on the Korean Peninsula, it will become a game-changer that makes North Korean nuclear weapons ineffective. The South Korean government should take action to make South Korea a substantial beneficiary.
On May 20, US President Trump announced the new missile defense system based in space, "Golden Dome" plan. He stated that he would deploy a space sensor and interception system consisting of more than 1,000 low-orbit satellites during his term to counter various nuclear attacks from hostile countries. At the same time, Trump hopes that the "Golden Dome" can complete the "Star Wars" plan initiated by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The "Star Wars" plan, which aimed to intercept Soviet nuclear missiles from space using lasers, was suspended due to technical limitations and the end of the Cold War. Trump regarded space as a battlefield during his first term and established the Space Force. In 2022, the US military stationed in South Korea also established the Space Force.
The announcement of the Golden Dome plan seemed somewhat abrupt during the intense US-China tariff war in late May of last year. However, after the Israeli-Iranian war that broke out the following month, and the "Midnight Hammer" operation against Iran, it became clear. It can be said that this form is on the same track as the United States' new "Gold Dome" global strategy. Canada expressed willingness to participate in the Gold Dome plan during the US-Canada tariff negotiations, and Trump responded sharply, saying: "Either contribute $6.1 billion to the Gold Dome plan or be incorporated into the United States as the 51st state." Although criticism mainly focused on Trump's insulting remarks towards Canada, his persistence in the Gold Dome plan is also worth noting. Whether the Gold Dome plan can be deployed in practice as planned remains to be seen. But Trump obviously has the determination to realize the dream of a Republican icon, Reagan, who failed to achieve.
Why is Trump so obsessed with the "Golden Dome" space strategy? First, apart from the nuclear competitor Russia, China has also become a new opponent of the United States, and North Korea and Iran have emerged as formidable threat entities. China has recently doubled its nuclear arsenal, possessing 500 nuclear warheads. The US Department of Defense pointed out in its 2022 Nuclear Posture Review Report that by the 2030s, the United States will face two nuclear superpowers for the first time in history, which are strategic competitors and potential enemies. In addition, the threat posed by China's deployment of hypersonic missiles capable of evading the defense network and flying at low altitudes is also significant. The Star Wars plan 40 years ago triggered an arms race with the Soviet Union, eventually leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Based on this historical lesson, some people believe that the "Golden Dome" is also an attempt to incite competition with China.
With both the US and Russia having sufficient retaliatory capabilities (second strike), they can achieve the so-called "nuclear deterrence balance," so there is no need to be sensitive about enhancing defensive capabilities. However, with North Korea officially starting to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), the situation has changed. The US is currently deploying 44 ground-based interceptors (GBI) in Alaska and California to respond to North Korea launching 10 ICBMs simultaneously. But if North Korea achieves a high level of nuclear development in the near future, deploys dozens of ICBMs, and under the technical support of Russia, equips the ICBMs with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), the current defense system will be difficult to cope with. A fundamental transformation is urgently needed.
Second, compared to Reagan's era 40 years ago, private enterprises now lead cutting-edge aerospace technological innovation. Of course, the weaponization of laser weapons in space is still unknown. However, the basic technology of sensors that can detect the traces of missiles before launch or during the ascent phase, and connect them with interceptor missiles, has already reached a relatively high level in the civilian sector. The satellite detection tracking function that finds passengers and connects them with Uber taxis is an example. To monitor nuclear attacks from countries such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran in real time, it is necessary to form a dense constellation of thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit. SpaceX has already launched more than 7,000 small satellites for the internet service "Starlink", accumulating rich experience.
What does the success of the "Golden Dome" plan mean for the Korean Peninsula? What would happen if a cluster of advanced sensors mounted on thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit were used to establish a surveillance and reconnaissance system capable of monitoring North Korea's nuclear weapon launch preparations and responding in the initial stage? Over the past 30 years, efforts to prevent North Korea's nuclear program have been futile, while the Gold Dome plan will provide it with significant momentum. If the "Golden Dome" can track the movement of North Korean nuclear missiles in real time and intercept the launched ICBMs, North Korea will no longer be able to threaten the United States with nuclear weapons. At the same time, the US nuclear umbrella will also have complete deterrent power.
South Korea plans to deploy 425 (SAR, EO/IR) reconnaissance satellites and dozens of microsatellite clusters in low Earth orbit by 2030, significantly enhancing its surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Currently, due to reliance only on reconnaissance information provided by the United States, which is available around twice a day, it is difficult to effectively monitor facilities related to North Korean nuclear programs such as mobile launchers (TEL). If surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities are significantly enhanced within a few years, the information collection cycle is expected to be shortened to within 30 minutes. Furthermore, if the information from US geostationary orbit satellites on ballistic missile monitoring, and the surveillance and reconnaissance information among South Korea, the US, and Japan are shared, it will almost be possible to detect and track North Korean nuclear facilities and missile launches in real time. This will become a game-changer in dismantling North Korea's nuclear forces. It is now time for the new government to gather momentum and make South Korea a substantial beneficiary of the Golden Dome.
Source: Chosun Ilbo
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1838597373185032/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.