South Korea has been a ground for cutting-edge innovation, birthing powerhouses in almost every facet of modern-day technology, such as Samsung and Hyundai.
Even in the space sector, South Korea has made neat progress by launching various satellites in the realm of earth observation and military surveillance.
In 2021, the country launched Nuri – a first-of-its-kind locally developed rocket. A year later, it deployed the first satellite in space. Last month, Seoul sent a military surveillance satellite aboard a SpaceX rocket, marking the second launch in a series of launches aimed at putting five South Korean-made spy satellites into orbit by 2025.
The country has dynamic and innovative startups and private sector companies in space. However, the directionality and mission-oriented focus of a space program was long missing.
With the establishment of the Korean AeroSpace Administration (KASA) this week, the gap has closed. Seoul is planning to double its annual space budget, bringing it to a total of $1.1 billion by 2027.
Seoul recognizes the critical role of space today for civilian as well as military purposes, accordingly the budget, authority, and role of the space agency will further expand.
“Space-related tasks that have been scattered among various government agencies will now be consolidated into the space agency, improving efficiency and consistency, says Park Si-soo, founder and CEO of Spaceradar, a Korean space consultancy.