The U.S. Space Force launched a new unit in South Korea on Wednesday under the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), as the U.S. emphasizes integrated deterrence for Seoul amid increasing North Korean missile activity.

Lt. Col. Joshua McCullion, the first commander of the new SPACEFOR-KOR unit under the military branch’s Indo-Pacific command, highlighted the significance of North Korea to his unit’s operations.

“Just 48 miles north of us exists an existential threat; a threat that we must be prepared to deter, defend against, and — if required — defeat,” he said, according to a USFK press release.

Operating out of