Kim Dae-kwan, head of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) Future Innovation Center, has been appointed as the new Deputy Minister leading the Korean-style Global Positioning System (GPS) project. Kim is known for successfully leading the Danuri project, which is Korea's first lunar orbiter.
According to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and others on the 23rd, KARI has appointed Kim as the new Deputy Minister, establishing the KPS Development Headquarters as a direct organization under the president last month. The KPS project aims to develop an independent satellite navigation system that provides ultra-precision positioning, navigation, and visual information near the Korean Peninsula.
Countries that own their own GPS systems globally include only the United States, Russia, the European Union, China, India, and Japan. Korea currently utilizes the U.S. GPS system, but there have been ongoing calls for an independent GPS system to enhance national security and develop related industries.
The government began the KPS project, investing 3.7234 trillion won since 2022. The satellite navigation system confirms positioning using signals from satellites through triangulation. Since the speed of electromagnetic waves from satellites is fixed, measuring the time until the signal is received allows for distance determination.
The government plans to launch eight satellites, including five inclined orbit satellites and three geostationary satellites, by 2035 to transmit navigation signals and to establish ground station systems. Initially, the KPS project was led by the KARI independent project team, but it faced difficulties in coordinating opinions among government departments. As internal discord arose within the project team, the Korea Aerospace Agency delayed the launch of the first KPS satellite by 20 months and integrated the KPS Development Headquarters into a direct organization under the president of KARI to enhance management.
In a conversation with ChosunBiz, Kim noted that he would quickly identify the causes of the project's delays and work on improvements. He said, "Three years have passed since the start of the KPS project, and I am trying to find out which issues have caused the project to come to a halt," adding, "Once the problem is identified, I will find the right method to get the blood flowing again, whether it's through acupuncture or moxibustion."
With the KARI KPS Development Headquarters back in operation after maintenance, the KPS project is regaining momentum. Last week, the Korea Aerospace Agency and KARI held a preliminary design review meeting for the first KPS satellite. A spokesperson from the Korea Aerospace Agency said, "We will do our best to ensure that the KPS development project can regain its proper trajectory under KARI's leadership."