Lee Sang-cheol, the head of Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), said he would not rest on the achievements that have led Korea to become one of the world's top seven space powers. He noted that he would pursue proactive changes and challenges to realize tasks such as becoming one of the top five space powers and the industrial ecosystem formation for national core industrialization.
On the 20th, he stated at the inauguration ceremony held at the Yuseong headquarters of KARI, "A significant mission to strengthen national competitiveness and leap into a space power rests on the shoulders of KARI amid intensifying global technological competition."
He presented five development strategies for KARI: technological innovation and research capacity enhancement, cultural innovation and talent development, strengthening cooperation between industry and research, international cooperation, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management.
Lee was appointed as the head of KARI on the 16th and will lead the organization for three years starting from that day. He is considered the right person to prepare KARI for the New Space era, as he has extensive experience in both the industrial sector, including Samsung Aerospace Research Institute and Korea Aerospace Industry (KAI), and academia at Korea Aerospace University.