With growing interest in space development following this successful launch, Korea AeroSpace Administration Administrator Oh Tae-seog unveiled several plans at the Kwanhun Debate held on September 30, a week before the fifth Nuri launch, outlining South Korea’s space development over the next 10 to 20 years.
“More important than price is launching when we need to”
Administrator Oh emphasized “space sovereignty” as the most critical aspect related to the Nuri. He stated that South Korea’s need for an independent launch vehicle is not merely to save money by avoiding payments to foreign rockets. More importantly, it is about having the capability to access space whenever the nation deems it necessary. “We must be able to launch when needed. Price is a secondary issue. The key question is whether we can do it when necessary or not,” he stressed.
He mentioned that the Multipurpose Practical Satellite 6 has been delayed for four years, and the Compact Advanced Satellite (CAS) 500-2 is also about four years behind schedule. He compared the reason to the now-defunct taxi-sharing system.
The Second Space Gateway to Be Decided in November
Launch infrastructure is crucial for immediately sending satellites when needed. The current center of South Korea’s space launches is the Naro Space Center in Goheung. However, as Nuri launches increase and private companies introduce small-to-medium-sized launch vehicles and reusable next-generation launch vehicles, the current facilities will inevitably become insufficient. Administrator Oh stated at the Kwanhun Debate that the selection results for the second space center “are planned to be announced by around November.” The current candidates are Goheung and Jeju.
The second space center requires more than just launch pads for rockets. It also needs launch facilities for private companies and landing facilities for reusable launch vehicles. In the future, considerations must include offshore droneships, similar to SpaceX’s method of recovering launch vehicles returning from sea.
Administrator Oh noted, “Launch demand will explode in the future,” and emphasized that constructing the second space center quickly is essential to meet the schedule for reusable next-generation launch vehicles. He refrained from commenting on which region holds an advantage. When I remarked, “From what I’ve heard, it seems significantly inclined toward Jeju,” he responded, “It’s still too early to say accurately.” The decision on the second space center in November will establish another foundation supporting South Korea’s space transportation system post-Nuri.
Another task for the Korea AeroSpace Administration, established in 2024, is transforming space development from a “government-led endeavor” to a “profit-driven industry for companies.”
The global aerospace industry is growing rapidly. Administrator Oh projected that the global aerospace industry will reach approximately $2 trillion by 2035, while South Korea currently accounts for only about 0.7% of the global market. The government aims to increase this to over 3% by 2035. The government’s aerospace budget has also significantly increased to approximately 1.6491 trillion Korean won by 2027, based on the government proposal.
However, increasing the government budget alone cannot make South Korea a global aerospace leader. Ultimately, domestic companies like KAI and Hanwha Aerospace must generate revenue in the global market. South Korea has reached a significant level in military aircraft, securing indigenous platforms such as the KF-21 and T-50.
In contrast, the commercial aircraft sector remains weak. Administrator Oh cited past attempts, such as South Korea’s halted joint development of a medium-sized aircraft with China and unsuccessful discussions with Canada’s Bombardier in the 2010s.
Therefore, the government’s realistic approach is not to build passenger aircraft competing with Boeing or Airbus from scratch. Instead, the strategy is to join global companies in the early stages of developing next-generation aircraft, increasing the supply share of key components, wings, and equipment. The plan is to raise the current procurement share of 1–2% to over 10%. The goal is for domestic aviation companies, including KAI, to rise beyond mere component suppliers to become key partners in the global commercial aircraft industry.
Samsung and SK Hynix Semiconductors Head to Space
Personally, the most intriguing part of the debate was the discussion on sending Korean semiconductors into space. It highlighted the potential to connect South Korea’s globally competitive semiconductor industry with the space sector. The Korean small satellite K-RadCube, participating in the U.S. Artemis project, carried commercial semiconductors from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The goal was to verify whether Korean semiconductors could withstand the intense radiation of deep space. Unfortunately, normal communication was not established, and sufficient data could not be obtained.
Administrator Oh stated that space semiconductors will become a highly important industry. As the data produced by satellites explodes, there are limits to transmitting all data to the ground for processing. For example, many images taken by Earth observation satellites are unusable due to cloud cover. Currently, even these images are transmitted to the ground and filtered, but in the future, satellites themselves will use AI to discard unnecessary data and send only what is needed. This requires semiconductors capable of performing AI computations in space.
If space data centers become a reality, demand for GPUs and memory semiconductors will also grow. Administrator Oh repeatedly emphasized, “Companies manufacturing semiconductors in our country must enter the space semiconductor market.” According to experts, semiconductors that function well on Earth cannot necessarily be used as-is in space. Space has radiation levels far beyond those on Earth. Ultimately, semiconductors must be tested in actual space environments to verify their endurance. Coincidentally, this Nuri launch included a satellite to test domestically developed core materials, components, and semiconductors for space use.
Space is now inseparable from national security. The Russia-Ukraine war demonstrated the critical importance of satellite communication networks in modern warfare.
The government is considering deploying 100 to 300 low-Earth orbit satellites by 2035. Administrator Oh stated that the military will be a key demander of low-Earth orbit satellite communication networks.
There must be alternative communication means if the peacetime communication network is disrupted. Thus, the low-Earth orbit communication network is both an industrial project and a “communication sovereignty” project.
Will There Be a Second Yi Soyeon?
Another notable topic was South Korea’s astronaut program. Since Dr. Yi Soyeon visited the International Space Station in 2008, South Korea has effectively lacked an independent human spaceflight program.
Administrator Oh shared his concerns on this issue: “As the head of the space administration, the biggest challenge is determining how to proceed with a human spaceflight program.” He emphasized that a human spaceflight program is not just an event of sending one Korean to the space station. It involves interconnected decisions: whether to send people via our own launch vehicles, build facilities for long-term space habitation, and what research and industrial activities to conduct there.
Currently, only the U.S., Russia, and China have independent human spaceflight capabilities, with India also pursuing it. In contrast, Japan, Canada, and Europe have chosen to collaborate with the U.S.
Administrator Oh cited Japan’s example of installing its own module on the International Space Station to conduct research in microgravity.
South Korea will also need personnel to manage facilities and conduct experiments on-site if it aims to research bio, semiconductors, new materials, or engage in “space manufacturing” in the future. Therefore, the upcoming space development basic plan must outline a roadmap for the human spaceflight program. Following this discussion by the Korea AeroSpace Administration, there is now a possibility of resuming South Korea’s astronaut lineage, which has been dormant since Dr. Yi Soyeon 17 years ago.
The aerospace sector, like nuclear energy, is directly linked to national security and the economy, and plays a significant role in boosting national pride. We hope that the Korea AeroSpace Administration, barely two years since its establishment, will not only enrich the nation through space resource development but also elevate the morale of our people.
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