• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.49-56
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• 2019

The Long-Term Sustainability (LTS) guidelines have attracted the most attention in the recent formation of international norms of behavior regarding outer space activities. The discussion began at the U.N. COPUOS in 2010. In June 2019, the 21 guidelines were finally adopted. The guidelines include international cooperation to promote and support the observation of the situation of orbiting objects, including space debris, for the purpose of preserving the space environment indefinitely, sharing data and forecasts on space weather, and announcing each country's space policy in accordance with international law. Some guidelines have failed to reach a consensus as the mitigation of space debris is often difficult to separate from space weapons tests. As plans for small satellites and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations have been projected for the future, it is expected that each countries' position on preserving the space environment will become more acute.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.127-160
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• 2014

The UN COPUOS was established in 1959 as a permanent committee of the UN General Assembly with the aims to promote international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, to formulate space-related programmes within the UN, to encourage research and dissemination of information on space, and to study legal problems arising from the outer space activities. Its members have been enlarged from 24 members in 1959 to 76 in 2014. The Legal Subcommittee, which has been established under COPUOS in 1962 to deal with legal problems associated with space activities, through its first three decades of work has set up a framework of international space law: the five treaties and agreements - namely the Outer Space Treaty, Rescue Agreement, Liability Convention, Registration Convention, Moon Agreement - and the five declarations and legal principles. However, some sceptical views on this legal framework has been expressed, concerning the applicability of existing international space law to practical issues and new kinds of emerging space activities. UNISPACE III, which took place in 1999, served as a momentum to revitalize the discussions of the legal issues faced by the international community in outer space activities. The agenda of the Legal Subcommittee is currently structured into three categories: regular items, single issue/items, and items considered under a multi-year workplan. The regular items, which deal with basic legal issues, include definition and delimitation of outer space, status and application of the five UN treaties on outer space, and national legislation relevant to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. The single issues/items, which are decided upon the preceding year, are discussed only for one year in the plenary unless renewed. They include items related to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space and to the space debris mitigation. The agenda items considered under a multi-year work plan are discussed in working group. Items under this category deal with non-legally binding UN instruments on outer space and international mechanism for cooperation. In recent years, the Subcommittee has made some progress on agenda items related to nuclear power sources, space debris, and international cooperation by means of establishing non-legally binding instruments, or soft law. The Republic of Korea became the member state of COPUOS in 2001, after rotating seats every two years with Cuba and Peru since 1994. Korea's joining of COPUOS seems to be late, in considering that some countries with hardly any space activity, such Chad, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Lebanon, Cameroon, joined COPUOS as early as 1960s and 1970s and contributed to the drafting of the aforementioned treaties, declarations, and legal principles. Given the difficulties to conclude a treaty and un urgency to regulate newly emerging space activities, Legal Subcommittee now focuses its effort on developing soft law such as resolutions and guideline to be adopted by UN General Assembly. In order to have its own practices reflected in the international practices, one of the constituent elements of international customary law, Korea should analyse its technical capability, policy, and law related to outer space activities and participate actively in the formation process of the soft law.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.53.1-53.1
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• 2006

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.241-269
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• 2011

Solar flare and storm may give an adverse effect upon electromagnetic environment around the Earth, so that various kinds of satellite cease to normally function. This kind of space storm disaster is characterized by the uncertainty about when and what size. Recently the UN has been paying attention to this plausible disaster. Particularly the COPUOS has taken the view that this disaster would threaten the sustainable space environment. The precautionary principle, rooted and excercised in the environment protection filed, has been adopted in the case of disaster with uncertainty. The reports and opinions given by the expert and representatives of the member States have stated that the precautionary principle should be adopted for the purpose of dealing with this disaster. On the other hand, it is advanced that the principle has been already included in the space law principle enshrined in the 1967 Space Treaty. The Treaty has adopted the freedom of navigation and use of the outer space for the interest of all States as the basic principles. Sustainable environment is necessary for implementing the principle. Therefore, the rules for the protection of sustainable space environment should be based upon the space law principle.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.153-194
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• 2009

The resources of outer space are for the common exploitation of mankind, and it is a common responsibility of mankind to protect the outer space environment. With the rapid development of space science and technology, and especially with the busy space activities of some major space powers, environmental contamination or space debris is steadily increasing in quantity and has brought grave potential threats and actual damage to the outer space environment and human activities in space. Especially We must mitigate and seek out a solution to remove space debris which poses a threat directly to man's exploitation and use of outer space activities in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and in the Geostationary Orbit (GEO), through international cooperation and agreement in the fields of space science, economics, politics and law, in order to safeguard the life and property of mankind and protect the earth's environment. While the issue of space debris has been the subject of scientific study and discussion for some time now, it has yet to be fully addressed within the context of an international legal framework. During the earlier stages of the space age, which began in the late 1950s, the focus of international lawmakers and diplomats was the establishment of basic rules which sought to define the legal nature of outer space and set out the parameters for space activities and the nature and scope of activities carried out in outer space were quite limited. Consequently, environmental issues and the risks that might arise from the generation of space debris did not receive priority attention within the context of the development international space law. In recent years, however, the world has seen dramatic advances in technology and increases in the type and number of space-related activities which are being carried out. In addition, the number of actors in this field has exploded from two highly developed States to a vast array of different States, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, including private industry. Therefore, the number of artificial objects in the near-Earth space is continually increasing. As has been previously mentioned, COPUOS was the entity that created the existing five treaties, and five sets of legal Principles, which form the core of space law, and COPUOS is clearly the most appropriate entity to oversee the creation of this regulatory body for the outer space environmental problem. This idea has been proposed by various States and also at the ILA Conference in Buenos Aires. The ILA Conference in Buenos Aires produced an extensive proposal for such a regulatory regime, dealing with space debris issues in legal terms This article seeks to discuss the status of international law as it relates to outer space environmental problem and space debris and indicate a course of action which might be taken by the international community to develop a legal framework which can adequately cope with the complexity of issues that have recently been recognized. In Section Ⅱ,Ⅲ and IV of this article discuss the current status of international space law, and the extent to which some of the issues raised by earth and space environment are accounted for within the existing United Nations multilateral treaties. Section V and VI discuss the scope and nature of space debris issues as they emerged from the recent multi-year study carried out by the ILA, Scientific and Technical Subcommittee, Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space ("COPUOS") as a prelude to the matters that will require the attention of international lawmakers in the future. Finally, analyzes the difficulties inherent in the future regulation and control of space debris and the activities to protect the earth's environment. and indicates a possible course of action which could well provide, at the least, a partial solution to this complex challenge.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Currently outer space become more and more congested and contested, according to the increase of satellites, nations and government consortia that operate satellites, and commercial and academic satellite operators. Therefore, international community, including the United Nations has been making a greater effort to adopt non-legally binding international documents capable of regulating space activities for the purpose of the security, safety and long-term sustainability of space activities. These are a draft International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities(ICoC) and UN Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities(UNGGE).

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.239-258
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• 2011

Space debris mitigation has become an international custom for international space activities. IADC and COPUOS adopted a Guideline on Space Debris Mitigation. Two Guidelines provided that member states or international organization shall establish a national mechanism to mitigate space debris. China has made progress in legislation on space debris mitigation and management system. It establised a fundamental framework on the legislative mechanism on space debris mitigation and managemental mechanism on space debris mitigation. In order to further improve the national mechanism on space debris mitigation, it is essential for China to strenghen legislation on space activities and specify the duties of management administrates.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.18
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• pp.185-209
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• 2003

이 논문은 21세기 우주개발로 인하여 제기되는 국제우주법의 장래 과제를 분석한 것이며 따라서 1967년 우주조약을 비롯한 기존의 5개 국제우주조약들과 '연성법'(soft law)으로서의 우주법인 5개의 UN결의들은 간략하게 소개하고 lex ferenda로서 제기되는 문제들을 중심으로 연구하였다. 21세기 국제우주법의 lex ferenda로 제기되는 문제는 다음과 같다. 첫째. 우주의 정의 및 경계획정문제와 지구정지궤도(GSO)의 성격과 활용의 문제가' 외기권 우주의 평화적 이용에 관한 위원회'(COPUOS)의 법률소위원회를 중심으로 어떻게 진행되고 있는가 하는 문제를 검토하였고, 둘째. 대기권 상공과 외기권 우주를 비행할 수 있는 새로운 우주운송수단으로 등장하고 있는 우주항공기(Aerospace Vehicle)가 기존의 항공법과 우주법의 관계에서 어떠한 법의 적용을 받아야 하는가의 문제를 검토하였다. 셋째. 그리고 통신위성을 이용하면서 발생하는 저작권법(copy right law) 및 지적재산권(intellectual property) 등의 문제 그리고 우주보험을 포함한 우주의 상업적 이용에서 발생하는 법규범의 문제를 검토하였고, 넷째. 우주활동으로 인해 발생하는 우주잔해(space debris)와 우주환경문제를 다루었다. 마지막으로 그리고 기타 국제우주법관련문제 특히 우주활동을 원활하게 수행하기 위한 '우주물체'(space objects)와 그와 관련된 용어들의 정확한 개념 정의를 명확하게 할 필요성과 우주의 상업적 이용과 우주의 오로지 평화적인 목적을 위하여 중요한 역할을 할 국제민간항공기구(ICAO)나 국제해사기구(IMO)와 같은 장래의 국제민간우주기구(International Civil Space Organization) 등의 설립문제를 검토하였다.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.427-468
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• 2015

To date, we have considered the theoretical views, the standpoint of states and the discourse within the international community such as the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space(COPUOS) regarding the Air/Outer Space Boundary Question which is one of the first issues of UN COPUOS established in line with marking the starting point of Outer Space Area. As above mentioned, discussions in the United Nations and among scholars of within each state regarding the delimitation issue often saw a division between those in favor of a functional approach (the functionalists) and those seeking the delineation of a boundary (the spatialists). The spatialists emphasize that the boundary between air and outer space should be delimited because the status of outer space is a type of public domain from which sovereign jurisdiction is excluded, as stated in Article 2 of Outer Space Treaty. On the contrary art. I of Chicago Convention is evidence of the acknowledgement of sovereignty over airspace existing as an international customary law, has the binding force of which exists independently of the Convention. The functionalists, backed initially by the major space powers, which viewed any boundary demarcation as possibly restricting their access to space, whether for peaceful or non-military purposes, considered it insufficient or inadequate to delimit a boundary of outer space without obvious scientific and technological evidences. Last more than 50 years there were large development in the exploration and use of outer space. But a large number states including those taking the view of a functionalist have taken on a negative attitude. As the element of location is a decisive factor for the choice of the legal regime to be applied, a purely functional approach to the regulation of activities in the space above the Earth does not offer a solution. It seems therefore to welcome the arrival of clear evidence of a growing recognition of and national practices concerning a spatial approach to the problem is gaining support both by a large number of States as well as by publicists. The search for a solution to the problem of demarcating the two different legal regimes governing the space above Earth has undoubtedly been facilitated and a number of countries including Russia have already advocated the acceptance of the lowest perigee boundary of outer space at a height of 100km. As a matter of fact the lowest perigee where space objects are still able to continue in their orbiting around the earth has already been imposed as a natural criterion for the delimitation of outer space. This delimitation of outer space has also been evidenced by the constant practice of a large number of States and their tacit consent to space activities accomplished so far at this distance and beyond it. Of course there are still numerous opposing views on the delineation of a outer space boundary by space powers like U.S.A., England, France and so on. Therefore, first of all to solve the legal issues faced by the international community in outer space activities like delimitation problem, there needs a positive and peaceful will of international cooperation. From this viewpoint, President John F. Kennedy once described the rationale behind the outer space activities in his famous "Moon speech" given at Rice University in 1962. He called upon Americans and all mankind to strive for peaceful cooperation and coexistence in our future outer space activities. And Kennedy explained, "There is no strife, ${\ldots}$ nor any international conflict in outer space as yet. But its hazards are hostile to us all: Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind, and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation may never come again." This speech seems to even present us in the contemporary era with ample suggestions for further peaceful cooperation in outer space activities including the delimitation of outer space.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.469-497
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• 2015

In 2009 Iridium 33, a satellite owned by the American Iridium Communications Inc. and Kosmos-2251, a satellite owned by the Russian Space Forces, collided at a speed of 42,120 km/h and an altitude of 789 kilometers above the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia. NASA estimated that the satellite collision had created approximately 1,000 pieces of debris larger than 10 centimeters, in addition to many smaller ones. By July 2011, the U.S. Space Surveillance Network(SSN) had catalogued over 2,000 large debris fragments. On January 11, 2007 China conducted a test on its anti-satellite missile. A Chinese weather satellite, the FY-1C polar orbit satellite, was destroyed by the missile that was launched using a multistage solid-fuel. The test was unprecedented for having created a record amount of debris. At least 2,317 pieces of trackable size (i.e. of golf ball size or larger) and an estimated 150,000 particles were generated as a result. As far as the Space Treaties such as 1967 Outer Space Treaty, 1968 Rescue Agreement, 1972 Liability Convention, 1975 Registration Convention and 1979 Moon Agreement are concerned, few provisions addressing the space environment and debris in space can be found. In the early years of space exploration dating back to the late 1950s, the focus of international law was on the establishment of a basic set of rules on the activities undertaken by various states in outer space.. Consequently environmental issues, including those of space debris, did not receive the priority they deserve when international space law was originally drafted. As shown in the case of the 1978 "Cosmos 954 Incident" between Canada and USSR, the two parties settled it by the memorandum between two nations not by the Space Treaties to which they are parties. In 1994 the 66th conference of International Law Association(ILA) adopted "International Instrument on the Protection of the Environment from Damage Caused by Space Debris". The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee(IADC) issued some guidelines for the space debris which were the basis of "the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines" which had been approved by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space(COPUOS) in its 527th meeting. On December 21 2007 this guideline was approved by UNGA Resolution 62/217. The EU has proposed an "International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities" as a transparency and confidence-building measure. It was only in 2010 that the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee began considering as an agenda item the long-term sustainability of outer space. A Working Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities was established, the objectives of which include identifying areas of concern for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities, proposing measures that could enhance sustainability, and producing voluntary guidelines to reduce risks to long-term sustainability. By this effort "Guidelines on the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities" are being under consideration. In the case of "Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exp1oration and Use of Outer Space" adopted by UNGA Resolution 1962(XVIII), December 13 1963, the 9 principles proclaimed in that Declaration, although all of them incorporated in the Space Treaties, could be regarded as customary international law binding all states considering the time and opinio juris by the responses of the world. Although the soft law such as resolutions, guidelines are not binding law, there are some provisions which have a fundamentally norm-creating character and customary international law. In November 12 1974 UN General Assembly recalled through a Resolution 3232(XXIX) "Review of the role of International Court of Justice" that the development of international law may be reflected, inter alia, by the declarations and resolutions of the General Assembly which may to that extend be taken into consideration by the judgements of the International Court of Justice. We are expecting COPUOS which gave birth 5 Space Treaties that it could give us binding space debris mitigation measures to be implemented based on space debris mitigation soft law in the near future.