Korea’s version of NASA nears blast off as bill passes

A bill for the launch of Korea’s aerospace agency has been passed by the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on Monday.

Korea’s domestically developed space rocket, the Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV-II), or Nuri, takes off from the launch pad at the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla on May 25, 2023. [YONHAP]

A bill for the launch of Korea’s aerospace agency has been passed by the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on Monday.

Named the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), its establishment was spearheaded by President Yoon Suk Yeol in what his administration says is an effort to create a centralized authority to bring together the disparate elements of the current space programs scattered around in various divisions and agencies.

Yoon announced the administration’s plans to build the agency, “similar to the NASA of the United States,” in August 2022.

According to the Science Ministry's plan, KASA will be headed by a vice-minister-level commissioner and have seven departments for launch vehicles, space science and exploration, satellites, advanced aerospace, aerospace policies, aerospace business and international cooperation.

It was announced by the Ministry of Science and ICT in July last year that the agency will not house the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which has been leading Korea’s space missions such as the Nuri rocket program, or the Korea Astronomy & Space Science Institute (KASI).

The decision was met with backlash from critics including the rival Democratic Party and KARI scientists. They argue that excluding KARI and KASI from KASA will only further fragment the system and slow down progress.

BY SHIN HA-NEE, KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]