A forum has been set up for discussions on commercializing low-orbit satellite communications based on the 6G standard by 2030. Experts have suggested that, amid fierce global competition for preemption, we must protect the current satellite orbits/frequencies while simultaneously securing new resources.

The third '6G Satellite Communication Conference 2024' was held on the 16th at Yangjae L Tower. This event was co-hosted by the Satellite Communication Forum, ETRI, the Korean Institute of Communication Sciences, the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science, and the Satellite Information and Communication Society, which are participating in the 2024 ICT Standardization Forum Support Project. On this day, experts from academia, industry, and research presented on 6G satellite communication policies and trends, and 6G satellite communication standard activities under the theme of 'The Path to a Digital Powerhouse, Next-Generation Networks Completed with 6G Satellite Communications.'

In his congratulatory remarks, Vice Minister of Science and ICT Kang Do-hyun said, “The low-orbit satellite communication technology development project passed the preliminary feasibility study last May, and standardization discussions are also active in the International Organization for Standardization. Now that the potential of satellite communication is spreading across all sectors, it is the right time to encourage domestic companies to participate in the market. He said, “It is important to invest as a single project through cooperation between industry, academia, and research institutes, and the government will also join us on this journey.”

According to Morgan Stanley, the satellite industry size in 2040 is expected to reach 1,400 trillion won, of which satellite communications will account for 53% at 740 trillion won. Global companies such as SpaceX and OneWeb are moving to dominate the market in earnest, starting with the development of reusable low-orbit satellites. SpaceX has announced a goal of launching 42,000 satellites by 2030.

In February 2023, our country announced the K-Network 2030 strategy and presented low-orbit satellite communications as one of the core K-Network strategies. Ji Eun-kyung, a director at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, “3GPP (the global mobile communications standardization organization) plans to start standardizing 6G from NTN (non-terrestrial network) and complete the 6G standard by 2028. Based on the 6G standard, our country aims to commercialize low-orbit satellite communications in the 2030s.”

The goal is to secure 11 core technologies in five major fields, including communication payloads, ground stations, terminal stations, main bodies, and satellite systems, through the development and verification of low-orbit satellite communication systems. Director Ji Eun-kyung said, “Since securing the satellite communications market is technically difficult and requires huge capital, it is difficult for a single company to pursue it, and the government’s role as a catalyst is necessary.”
ETRI's Dr. Jong-min Park emphasized that securing orbits and frequencies must be pursued preemptively for low-orbit satellite projects, and argued that "no matter how excellent satellite technology and components are developed, they cannot be used without orbital/frequency resources."

However, the reality is that it is difficult to secure even the existing geostationary orbits. For example, among Korea, China, and Japan, China has 73 geostationary orbits, Japan has 23, and Korea has only 8 geostationary orbits. In addition, looking at the status of satellite business distribution within the review band for IMT, the demand for frequency sharing, including the 7-8GHz frequency band where domestic satellites are operating, is intensifying.

Dr. Jongmin Park said, “Although the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) has set forth frequency allocation regulations and procedures to fairly utilize orbits/frequencies, as competition to secure satellite orbit/frequency resources, which are limited resources, intensifies, the available frequency bands for not only satellite operations but also terrestrial operations may be limited.”

He then argued, “Accordingly, before the satellite industry fully blossoms, the government must establish mid- to long-term policies to strengthen the securing and protection of our country’s frequency resources while complying with the procedures of the radio regulations.”