The Air Force was to launch a space center under the direct control of its chief of staff Thursday as part of efforts to expand its presence in space and strengthen defense capabilities against emerging threats, the military said.

A signboard hanging ceremony was to be held at the Air Force headquarters in the central city of Gyeryong, presided over by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Park In-ho, according to the military.

The new organization will be in charge of exchanges with other space units under the defense ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as with its foreign counterparts and non-military research institutions for effective communication and policy setting, the Air Force said.

The establishment of the new center is the latest in a series of efforts by the military to enhance its space defense capabilities.

In August, Gen. Park met with US chief of space operations Gen. John Raymond in Colorado and signed a deal to form a joint consultative body on space policy to strengthen cooperation.

"As space has become a core part of future battlefields, the new center will lead projects to deploy weapons for space operations ... and guard security by boosting capabilities to better respond to space dangers and threats," the Air Force said in a release. (Yonhap)