Pass the space agency bill fast

I hope the National Assembly will make a historic decision beyond the boundaries of governing and opposition parties so that the space agency can take off.

Lee Joo-jin

The author is a former president of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. The Korea-U.S. Space Industry Symposium, held in Seoul recently to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, was attended by government ministries from both countries and a number of space companies. Major American space companies, including Kayhan Space and Voyager Space, discussed their cooperation status and business plans with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), which lead the aerospace industry in Korea. At the symposium, Korean and U.S. companies discussed future cooperation plans in the space sector and shared expectations that Korean companies will play an important role in the global space industry in the future.

Another topic at this symposium was the establishment of a “National Space Administration,” a tentative name, in Korea. Kim Min-sik, the principal research engineer of Nara Space Technology, stressed that the space administration should be established so that the space industry can contribute to the future growth of the economy. American companies also welcomed the establishment of the space administration. Kayhan Space CEO Siamak Hesar said he supports Korea’s effort to establish the space administration and that such a cooperation can elevate the Korean government’s space industry development. Eric Stallmer, the executive vice president of Voyager Space, who is building a private space station together with NASA, also appreciated the high level of Korea’s corporate sector, and said that private aircraft companies should be encouraged to participate more after the establishment of the space agency in Korea.

Seven months have passed since the National Assembly proposed a special act on the establishment and operation of the space administration. So far, there have been many issues, from electing the chairman of the agenda mediation committee, determining the status of the space agency, drawing up special provisions for recruiting talents, and fixing the scope of its direct research and development. Now that all issues have been resolved, the bill is awaiting a full vote in a plenary session of the legislature. I hope the establishment of the space agency will further strengthen the cooperation between Korea and the U.S. and between their space companies.

Compared to leading space countries, Korea entered space development 30 years late. Despite the short history of space aviation, Korea has risen fast to compete with the rest of the world. There are only seven countries in the world, including Korea, that have launched a rocket with a payload of more than 1 ton (2,205 pounds), using their own technology. India recently succeeded in landing Chandrayaan-3, an unmanned lunar rover, on the moon. India became the fourth country to land on the moon after the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China. Korea could have proudly risen to that rank if it had established a space agency and made a full-fledged investment along with active international cooperation.

When I was president of the KARI, I hosted the 60th World Space Congress in Daejeon in 2009. The event was successfully held with more than 140 space agencies and related companies from over 70 countries in attendance. As Korea’s status elevates, I can feel the rapid development of the space sector.

If the space agency is set up, Korea’s space development budget — currently only one-twelfth of China, one-fifth of Russia, France, and Japan, and one-third of India — can be expanded. Based on the strong leadership of the National Space Commission under the president, the space agency can smoothly cooperate with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The agency will be at the heart of supporting international cooperation with world-class space powers to advance Korea’s space industry.

The space agency will certainly help the country become one of the advanced space powers in cooperation with KARI and KASI, both dedicated to exploring and developing space, and with the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and the Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM). I am excited about the activities of private companies such as Nara Space Technology, Lumir, and Spacemap. They participated in the symposium and expressed confidence that they will not lag behind in the international competition for radar and data analysis technologies, the core of the space industry.

With the establishment of the space administration, Korea will emerge as a new space powerhouse. There is no reason to delay the establishment. I hope the National Assembly will make a historic decision beyond the boundaries of governing and opposition parties so that the space agency can take off.

Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.