South Korea joins board of international disaster-response charter to track damage via satellite

South Korea will join the board of an international cooperative body that uses satellites to assess damage and support recovery efforts when major disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons and floods strike. The move marks an expansion of the country's role from deploying national satellites for disaster response to directly shaping international disaster-response policy.

The Korea AeroSpace Administration announced Wednesday that it had been admitted as a board member at the 56th regular board meeting of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, held at Ochanomizu Solar City in Tokyo.

The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters is an international cooperative body under which member organizations photograph disaster-affected areas using their own satellites and provide imagery and analysis to affected countries when large-scale disasters — including earthquakes, typhoons and heavy snowstorms — occur.

Seventeen organizations currently participate in the charter, including the European Space Agency and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

South Korea has provided high-resolution imagery captured by national satellites to disaster-affected countries overseas since the Korea Aerospace Research Institute joined the charter in 2011.

When major disasters have struck domestically, South Korea has also used the charter to quickly obtain overseas satellite imagery to assess damage and coordinate response efforts.

With its new board membership, KASA will formally begin participating in charter board activities in 2027 and take part in policy decisions related to international disaster response.

Under the planned arrangement, KASA — which oversees national space and aerospace policy — will handle international cooperation and policy matters, while the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, which has carried out operational work including satellite operations and imagery provision, will serve in a supporting role.

Through this structure, South Korea aims to expand the use of high-resolution imagery from national satellites and provide faster analysis and response support when major disasters occur abroad.

"We will further solidify our national responsibility and leadership in contributing to international disaster relief efforts on the strength of this board membership," KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seok said. "We will contribute to overcoming disasters around the world through accurate and timely sharing of satellite information."