Korea’s forest remote sensing began in the 1970s with the nationwide forest resource survey using aerial photographs, during which forest-type map and national forest resource data were produced for the first time. This data served as a crucial foundation for forest restoration and management at that time. In the 1990s, Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) were used to survey forest resources across North Korea, revealing for the first time the extent of forest degradation. Since then, satellite imagery has been regularly used to monitor North Korean forests, a practice that continues to this day. Since the 2000s, high-resolution satellite imagery from the Korean Multi-Purpose Satellite (KOMPSAT) series and Satellite pour l’Observation de la Terre (SPOT), along with Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) technology, has enabled precise analysis of forest resources. Furthermore, digital twin technology has been applied to simulate forest resource information in 3D, enabling more accurate management. Recently, deep learning and other artificial intelligence technologies have been combined with research on forest resources, forest disasters, and forest ecosystem monitoring. A significant research focus has been on creating a carbon map that spatiotemporally assesses the absorption and emission of carbon dioxide in forests. Monitoring North Korean forests also remains a critical source of data for establishing inter-Korean forest cooperation policies. The necessity of Forest Analysis Ready Data (F-ARD) has also increased. F-ARD simplifies complex preprocessing, enhancing the utility of forest remote sensing data. The F-ARD produced by the Compact Advanced Satellite 500-4 (CAS500-4, Agricultural and Forestry Satellite) will serve as a new tool for forest analysis by providing geometrically and atmospherically corrected high-resolution satellite imagery with gap-filling capabilities. The CAS500-4 set to be launched soon, will capture daily images of the Korean Peninsula, playing a crucial role in urgent responses to forest fires and forest disaster management. This satellite is expected to significantly contribute to the management of Korean forests and responses to climate change.



Keywords Forest remote sensing, CAS500-4, Forest disaster, Forest ecosystem, Forest resources, F-ARD