MODA Set to Accept Applications for LEO Satellites 數位部最快11月 開放低軌衛星執照申請

The Ukraine-Russia war has cast a spotlight on low-earth orbit communications satellites. The Ministry of Digital Affairs recently announced that it will start accepting spectrum license applications for LEO satellites in November.

Niu Hsin-jen, Director, Dept. of Resource Management, MODA: “Companies with Chinese investments are not allowed to apply.”

The Ministry of Digital Affairs recently announced that it will start accepting spectrum license applications for low-earth orbit communications satellites in November, but companies with Chinese investment or with 49 percent or more shares held by foreign investors are banned from applying. This is the first time that Taiwan will be accepting applications.

Lee Kun-tse, Legislator (DPP): “What I'm more concerned about are information capture and signal forgery. ”
Audrey Tang, Digital Affairs Minister: “The most important part of this is the defense provided by the encryption system. That's of course important. We have to identify those weak points that may not be very serious but may become breaches before others find them.”

Chen Su-yueh, Legislator (DPP): “What's our current progress in setting up low-earth orbit satellites?”
Audrey Tang, Digital Affairs Minister: “We're strengthening the capacity of our existing, comparatively limited synchronous satellites. There is already cooperation in medium-earth orbit satellites under the supervision of the NDC. We're spending NT$550 million on expanding this to about 700 points.”

Digital Affairs Minister Audrey Tang attended a legislative interpellation on Oct. 27. The Ministry of Digital Affairs has spent nearly NT$70 million in rent over one year. It is also hiring personnel.

Chen Jiau-hua, Legislator (NPP): “With regards to information security, you all are hiring people from a very small group and you have laymen leading professionals. ”
Audrey Tang, Digital Affairs Minister: “That's why we very much welcome legislators and everyone else to recommend professional personnel. The work of the National Institute of Cyber Security is to complete the R&D of tools that will be used within about four years' time. So we and the TWISC don't currently have the kind of connection that the legislator spoke about, to my knowledge.”

Hung Meng-kai, Legislator (KMT): “Does the newly-established Ministry of Digital Affairs really need to be located in such an elite area, for such an astronomical rent? Now, you all are talking about promoting remote working. Aren't there multiple contradictions here? ”
Audrey Tang, Digital Affairs Minister: “The Yanping Office isn't big enough, so everyone at our Administration for Cyber Security is still at the original office of the Executive Yuan's National Center for Cyber Security Technology.”

Tang said the Ministry of Finance made plans to set up a long-term office at Huaguang Special District. It will use Shin Kong Life Tower as an interim office. The ministry currently employs 598 people and will have a maximum of 976. It will find another location if it becomes fully staffed or its office is no longer suitable.

 

數位部資源管理司長牛信仁表示：「申請資格中，不可以有陸資的。」

強調中資不得涉入，數位部預計在11月開始，開放低軌衛星執照申請。由於這是台灣的首次開放，因此相關議題也備受關注。

民進黨籍立委李昆澤說：「我比較擔憂的是，在資訊擷取跟訊號偽造這個部分。」

數位部長唐鳳回應：「最重要的就是這個加密的系統在防守，這個當然很重要，但是也要搶在就是其他人找出弱點之前，我們自己先找出可能還沒有很嚴重，但可能成為破口的弱點。」

民進黨籍立委陳素月則詢問：「建立這個低軌衛星，目前我們的進度大概怎麼樣？」

數位部長唐鳳表示：「補強我們既有的比較有限的同步衛星量能，那中軌衛星在國發會的指導之下，其實已經有合作了，我們這個5.5億，是把它擴大到大概700個點。」

唐鳳27日前往立法院進行業務報告，除了低軌衛星和資安議題之外，數位部的辦公室租用，一年多花了近7000萬，還有人員進用，都是立委關注焦點。

時代力量立委陳椒華批評：「資安的部分，用人是狹隘的，那另外就是有外行領導內行。」

數位部長唐鳳說：「用人唯才，所以非常歡迎委員跟各界推薦專業的人員。資安院它的工作是，大概4年以內來使用的工具的研發跟使用，所以我們跟TWISC，目前以我所知，並沒有像委員講的那樣子的聯繫。」

國民黨籍立委洪孟楷也質疑：「一個新成立的數位發展部，有需要用在最精華的地點，用那麼高的租金，然後現在又要推動遠距辦公，到底這樣的講法，不就是多重矛盾嗎？」

數位部長唐鳳解釋：「延平（辦公室）放不下，所以像我們的資安署現在，都還在本來行政院資安處的位置。」

唐鳳指出，財政部規劃在華光特區設置長期性的辦公室，在完工前，近期剛要進駐的新光大樓，屬於中繼處。目前數位部編制598人，最大員額設定是976人，如果未來滿編或是辦公場所不適合，也會再找合適地點。