The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a decision in April last year expressing serious concern over North Korea's GPS signal jamming and urging prevention of recurrence. The move came after the South Korean government formally raised the issue at the ICAO Council, stating that "more than 4,400 civilian aircraft have been affected by North Korean GPS jamming since 2024."
Signal disruption is not a problem confined to Korea. In recent years, jamming and spoofing have surged worldwide amid the Ukraine war and Middle East conflicts. Concerns are growing that the repercussions could spread beyond aviation and maritime safety to future industries including drones, autonomous driving and logistics. Major countries are accelerating efforts to build independent navigation systems to reduce dependence on the U.S. GPS, and the South Korean government is pursuing its own Korean Positioning System (KPS).
According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), the government is currently pursuing the KPS project comprising a total of eight satellites and ground systems. Space authorities plan to begin with a test launch of the first satellite in 2029, followed by sequential launches of subsequent satellites between 2033 and 2035 to complete a constellation of three geostationary orbit satellites and five inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites.
KPS is a regional satellite navigation system designed to provide precise positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) information centered on the Korean Peninsula and surrounding waters. Korea has long relied on the U.S. GPS for navigation data. However, GPS originated as a military global navigation system and has limitations in providing ultra-precise, high-reliability services optimized for specific regions such as the Korean Peninsula and nearby waters. Korea's inability to independently respond to signal jamming or service disruptions is another weakness.
The KPS under development is a regional navigation system covering the Korean Peninsula, surrounding waters and parts of Southeast Asia rather than the entire globe. KPS targets six service categories: open services for general users, public safety services, meter-level precision services of 1 to 5 meters, centimeter-level precision services of approximately 5 centimeters, a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) to enhance aircraft approach and landing safety, and Search and Rescue (SAR) services for rapidly locating people in distress. Authorities are also planning to enable the general public to receive location information accurate to within 1 meter via car navigation systems and mobile phones using KPS signals. Centimeter-level precision correction services are also being reviewed for the maritime and fisheries sector.
The problem is time. The U.S. GPS is already used as a de facto global standard. Europe's Galileo operates more than 30 satellites and is expanding civilian applications. China's BeiDou grew from a regional system into a global constellation. Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) has accumulated real-world demonstrations in precision agriculture, unmanned drones, aviation and maritime applications. India's NavIC is also operational, and countries including Turkey are showing interest in building independent navigation systems.
Korea's project, by contrast, has not proceeded smoothly. The government originally planned to launch the first KPS satellite in December 2027 but pushed the date back to September 2029 after determining that additional time was needed for specification design, development and verification of the core navigation payload. The schedule slipped by roughly 20 months. The project structure — developing the first satellite before proceeding with subsequent ones rather than pursuing all eight simultaneously — has also complicated contracts and negotiations.
The launch delay is leading to further problems. With frequency coordination, regulatory reform, standardization and the creation of a terminal, chipset and application ecosystem all needing to proceed in parallel, concerns are emerging that further delays could push back both KPS service commencement and the broader industrialization strategy. "The economic value KPS would generate — spanning autonomous vehicles, drones, precision surveying, smart logistics and disaster rescue — is estimated at 46 trillion won ($33.8 billion)," said Kim Dae-gwan, head of the KPS Development Program at KARI. "Using GPS may be convenient for now, but it could ultimately lead to platform dependency."
For KPS to be put to practical use, standardization of navigation signals and the creation of a receiver and chip ecosystem must proceed in tandem. "It is receiver manufacturers, chip makers and application service companies that actually create services," Kim said. "Signal specifications and design guides must be established so that companies can actively enter the market, and standardization must be finalized as quickly as possible."
Legislation is also important. Europe created regulations mandating that terminals carry Galileo alongside GPS to expand the Galileo market. "An institutional foundation is needed to grow the market," Kim said. "Through this, beyond developing the first satellite, the second through eighth satellites should be co-developed with the private sector or built under industry leadership to expand manufacturing capabilities and grow the market."