South Korea plans to develop a microsatellite system by 2030 to better monitor the Korean Peninsula and surrounding waters from space.

According to government sources on Thursday, related ministries and agencies held a meeting earlier in the day to discuss the project with a price tag of one-point-four trillion won, or around one-point-one billion U.S. dollars.

The microsatellite system will consist of multiple synthetic aperture(SAR) radar satellites and electro-optical satellites.

The government plans to utilize microsatellite imagery to better monitor potential risks on the peninsula and in nearby waters, including North Korea’s nuclear development, and to prepare responses to maritime security threats and disasters.

The Agency for Defense Development will lead overall research, with participation from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute.

The government will select a number of companies during the first half of this year to develop a SAR prototype for a test-launch in the second half of 2026, with sequential launches set to begin in 2028.