South Korea Satellite Internet Market Overview, 2030

South Korea’s satellite internet ecosystem is entering a pivotal growth phase, evolving from niche GEO-based services toward integrated Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband offerings. The market estimated at over USD 270 million in 2023 is projected to grow rapidly, potentially more than tripling to around USD 800 million by 2030, supported by increasing demand for K‑band capacity. In mid‑2025, regulatory approvals were issued for the establishment of both Starlink Korea (SpaceX’s local subsidiary) and a OneWeb/Eutelsat service offered via Hanwha Systems and KT SAT. Commercial LEO-based services are expected to launch by late 2025, targeting remote island communities, mountainous regions, maritime users, and aviation-linked applications. Hanwha Systems is rolling out OneWeb ground terminals and building an official government LEO satellite communications network, with a deployment goal of late 2024.Satellite broadband is strategically positioned as a cornerstone for South Korea’s 6G roadmap and dual-use civilian-military communications framework. Recognizing its role in disaster-resilient infrastructure, the government has earmarked roughly USD 230 million (₩320 billion) through 2030 to launch two domestically produced LEO test satellites and establish a pilot satellite-ground network. The formation of the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) in mid‑2024 consolidated national space policy and accelerated investments in domestic launcher development (e.g. the KSLV‑III vehicle) and satellite manufacturing clusters centered at national aerospace industrial complexes. In parallel, the country is advancing its own regional navigation system, KPS, with planned full deployment by the mid‑2030s. Satellite broadband is being integrated into broader initiatives for smart cities, IoT networks, and resilience platforms. The government’s strategic direction prioritizes sovereign capability in satellite communications, ensuring connectivity in difficult-to-reach zones, and enhancing South Korea’s competitiveness in future global 6G and space telecom ecosystems.

According to the research report ""South Korea Satellite Internet Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the South Korea Satellite Internet market was valued at more than USD 150 Million in 2025. South Korea is actively expanding its satellite internet landscape through key partnerships and state-led initiatives. Two major projects currently define the sector’s trajectory the deployment of Starlink services under a local entity, Starlink Korea, and the commercial rollout of OneWeb’s LEO network in partnership with Hanwha Systems and KT SAT. Both received regulatory approval in 2025 and are expected to launch full services by late 2025. Hanwha Systems is building dedicated government LEO satellite infrastructure for secure and resilient communication, while KT SAT is enhancing ground infrastructure and gateway operations to support multi-orbit connectivity. Cost structures in South Korea benefit from a compact geography and strong terrestrial internet backbone, which reduces total infrastructure spend compared to larger countries. Launch economics are being restructured with domestic ambitions the development of the KSLV-III launcher under KARI aims to lower national dependence on foreign launch services and reduce costs for smaller payloads. Government-led funding and tax incentives further reduce the capital burden for private players. Opportunities in South Korea’s satellite internet market are concentrated in high-value maritime, aviation, remote area broadband, and national security segments. Satellite internet is being positioned as a redundancy layer to 5G/6G terrestrial networks, especially in disaster-prone zones. The integration with the Korean Positioning System (KPS) and future 6G communication architecture opens new commercial and defense-oriented use cases. Challenges include high spectrum coordination complexity, competition with advanced terrestrial networks, and technology localization barriers in satellite terminal production.

The L-band is primarily used for mobile satellite services and navigation systems. In South Korea, L-band frequencies are integral to terrestrial augmentation systems and satellite navigation enhancements, including the upcoming Korean Positioning System (KPS), which will interoperate with GPS and regional GNSS systems. The C-band, valued for its resilience to rain fade, is used in fixed satellite services (FSS), especially in meteorological and telecommunication satellite applications. Although usage of the C-band has declined slightly with the growth of higher frequency bands, it remains important for long-distance satellite television transmission and critical weather monitoring systems. The KOMPSAT series satellites also relay Earth observation data via these bands. The X-band is predominantly reserved for military and government satellite communication in South Korea. The country is developing X-band capabilities through the 425 Project, a strategic national defense satellite constellation aimed at enhancing real-time reconnaissance and secure communications. These satellites are designed to support national security by ensuring reliable data transmission in adverse conditions and high-threat environments. The K-band (often referring to Ka-band in commercial use) is gaining rapid momentum in South Korea’s next-generation broadband and high-throughput satellite (HTS) services. The Korea Communications Satellite (KOREASAT) series leverages the Ka-band for broadcasting, telecommunication, and data connectivity. It supports services such as satellite internet and high-capacity backhaul for remote and island communities. South Korea’s future satellite programs are expected to expand Ka-band and X-band utilization significantly, driven by rising demand for secure defense communication, Earth observation, and 6G satellite backbone infrastructures. The spectrum policy is tightly regulated by the Ministry of Science and ICT, with allocation strategies aligning with national digital transformation and space sovereignty goals.

Two-Way Services are central to South Korea's defense, maritime, and disaster management systems. These include interactive satellite links used in the military reconnaissance satellite program (Project 425), enabling real-time, bi-directional data transfer between satellites and ground stations. South Korea is also advancing satellite-enabled broadband and VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) services to support connectivity in remote areas and islands where terrestrial infrastructure is limited. The Ka-band (K-band) is increasingly utilized for these high-throughput, two-way communications, including satellite internet access and backhaul for 5G infrastructure. One-Way Broadcast Services dominate the broadcasting and meteorology sectors. The KOREASAT series, operated by KT SAT, delivers satellite TV, radio, and direct-to-home (DTH) services across Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. These satellites transmit signals in a unidirectional manner to millions of receivers without the need for uplink communication. One-way broadcast also plays a critical role in public safety information dissemination, especially during natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes, where terrestrial networks may be compromised. Hybrid Services are gaining relevance as South Korea develops integrated communication and Earth observation platforms. These combine one-way and two-way functionality to support dual-use cases like satellite imaging with command and control uplinks, real-time weather monitoring, and smart agriculture applications. The Next-Generation Medium Satellite program (Next KOMPSAT) and KOMPSAT-7 incorporate hybrid models to facilitate data collection and real-time satellite tasking, which is vital for both civilian and defense missions. The government’s digital and space innovation policies emphasize the expansion of all three connectivity types to enable 6G satellite backbone services, cross-border defense interoperability, and enhanced rural connectivity, aligning with the country’s broader “Digital New Deal” and national space strategy.

LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites are central to South Korea's Earth observation, remote sensing, and military reconnaissance strategy. Programs such as KOMPSAT (Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite) series and the 425 Project (military reconnaissance satellite constellation) operate in LEO for high-resolution imaging, meteorological surveillance, and tactical intelligence. The government’s space development roadmap includes plans to expand LEO capabilities, including data relay and small satellite clusters for continuous observation and low-latency communications. MEO (Medium Earth Orbit) deployment in South Korea is relatively limited but is gaining interest, especially in the context of navigation services. South Korea has explored cooperative frameworks to utilize MEO-based satellite navigation systems (GNSS) in collaboration with global systems such as GPS and Galileo. Discussions have also begun around regional navigation satellite development, potentially placing South Korea as a strategic MEO player in Asia. GEO (Geostationary Orbit) satellites are extensively used for communications, broadcasting, and meteorological applications. The KOREASAT series e.g., KOREASAT-5A, -6, -7 operates in GEO, delivering one-way broadcast and two-way satellite services. In parallel, the Chollian (COMS and GK-2) series provides geostationary meteorological and ocean monitoring services, supporting agriculture, disaster warning, and climate research. These GEO platforms are designed to maintain constant coverage over the Korean Peninsula and surrounding regions. Multi-Orbit/Hybrid strategies are under development to ensure resilience and flexibility across military and civilian satellite infrastructure. South Korea's space agencies and private sector are studying architectures that integrate LEO, GEO, and potentially MEO satellites for seamless data relay, secure communication, and satellite-to-satellite links. The hybrid strategy aligns with South Korea’s ambition to build a next-generation satellite communications network that can support emerging domains like 6G NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) and AI-driven satellite services. Show more