South Korea is set to inaugurate its fully fledged space agency, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), next month, First Vice Science Minister Lee Chang-yune said Wednesday. KASA is scheduled to open its doors on May 27 in Sacheon, approximately 300 kilometers south of Seoul, the vice minister said. The Ministry of Science and ICT has secured a reserve fund of 66.5 billion won (US$49.3 million) for its launch and operations. Lee said efforts are under way to recruit top talents and develop strategic projects to propel KASA forward. The establishment of KASA was one of President Yoon Suk Yeol's campaign promises to invigorate the aerospace sector and position it as a key driver of the country's economic growth. KASA will be in charge of leading the country's space programs, as well as aeronautics and space research, including moon and Mars exploration projects. In 2022, South Korea announced its plan for spaceflight, including a project to land a spacecraft on the moon in 2032 and on Mars in 2045. W ith the establishment of KASA, South Korea also plans to foster more than 2,000 space-related companies and create about 500,000 new jobs. Lee also told reporters the ministry plans to come up with measures to support the innovation of state-funded research institutes and science and technology universities before July as part of efforts to strengthen the country's competitiveness in the field. Source: Yonhap News Agency
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