US-ROK Alliance Cooperation in the Space Domain: Charting the New Arena
Ankit Panda | KIDA
Advanced militaries are well aware of the importance of the space domain in modern warfare and the United States and South Korea are no exception. While the United States has been the global leader in space-enabled military operations and military space capabilities, South Korea is a relatively latecomer. Nevertheless, Seoul has great aspirations to improve its own space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities alongside its pursuit of an indigenous positioning, navigation, and tracking system by the 2030s. The U.S.-ROK alliance faces several challenges and opportunities in the space domain and will need to chart a new agenda to best leverage their joint space capabilities to deter North Korea and prevail in conflict, if necessary. To facilitate Seoul's own space ambitions, the United States should be willing to provide technical assistance. This paper examines the prospects for a new agenda on space domain cooperation within the U.S.- ROK alliance from a U.S. perspective. As the two countries look forward to adapt the alliance for new challenges, space will remain an important area for cooperation.
Kim Jong Un Stresses ‘Exponential’ Nuke Production at Parliamentary Session
Colin Zwirko | NK News
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un emphasized his priority to “exponentially” grow nuclear weapons stockpiles in the face of “threats” from the U.S. in a speech at a Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) session this week, according to state media on Thursday. Kim said nuclear weapons production would continue indefinitely, blaming Washington for fundamentally opposing North Korea’s governing system and saying he expects the U.S. position to never change, the Rodong Sinmun reported.
Plans for Poland’s First Nuclear Power Plant Move Ahead as US and Polish Officials Sign an Agreement
Associated Press
Polish and U.S. officials signed an agreement Wednesday in Warsaw to move forward with the construction of Poland’s first nuclear power plant as part of an effort by the Central European nation to move away from polluting fossil fuels. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the deal to build the plant at the Lubiatowo-Kopalino site in the Pomerania region near the Baltic Sea the beginning of a new chapter for Poland, and described nuclear energy as a stable and clean energy source.
US Says Iran Must Take Nuclear Steps to Make Room for Diplomacy
Reuters
Iran must take "de-escalatory" steps on its nuclear program if it wants to make space for diplomacy with the United States, starting by cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday…"Iran must take de-escalatory steps if it wants to reduce tensions and create a space for diplomacy," Miller said. "Just in the last few weeks, we've seen Iran take steps to undermine the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to do its work," Miller said. "So if Iran really is serious about taking de-escalatory steps, the first thing it (could) do would be to cooperate with the IAEA."
A Futuristic Plan to Make Steel With Nuclear Fusion
Jennifer Hiller and Amrith Ramkumar | Wall Street Journal
America’s largest steel company is betting nuclear fusion can help it eliminate carbon emissions and power one of the world’s most energy-intensive manufacturing processes. In a first-of-its-kind partnership between a major industrial company and a fusion startup, Nucor NUE 0.73% increase; green up pointing triangle and Helion Energy plan to develop a 500-megawatt fusion power plant that would be placed at one of Nucor’s U.S. steel mills by 2030, the companies said. That amount is enough electricity to power a few hundred thousand homes, about as much as a conventional power plant. Nucor is investing $35 million in Helion, which is backed by OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman. The deal is a bet on fusion, a technology that can seem more science fiction than science and hasn’t yet produced electricity.