The government will move in earnest to foster the aerospace industry, aiming to capture 3% of the global aerospace market by 2035. By 2035, it plans to build a Korea-style low Earth orbit satellite communication network with hundreds of satellites, move up the moon landing target to 2030, and develop the South Coast as a core hub for the aerospace industry.
Korea AeroSpace Administration Administrator Oh Tae-seok announced an aerospace industry promotion strategy with these details at the "National report on the vision for advanced industry development in Yeongnam," held in Jinju, South Gyeongsang, on the 3rd. The strategy was deliberated and approved the same day at the 5th National Space Committee, held at Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang.
The government plans to complete an independent low Earth orbit satellite communication network system by 2035. The low Earth orbit satellite communication network is considered core infrastructure that protects national security and communication sovereignty and a strategic foundation to support the 6G era. The government expects that, in the process of building the satellite network, domestic capabilities in satellite manufacturing and launch vehicle development can be raised together.
To that end, it will establish a pan-ministerial task force, build a mass-production and launch ecosystem for satellites by 2030, and conduct operational verification of space communication satellites in 2032. It will also promote the establishment of a special-purpose corporation for a satellite information utilization platform to foster new industries based on satellite data.
Korea AeroSpace Administration Vice Administrator Noh Kyung-won said at a briefing that "we are reviewing multiple scenarios for the size of the satellite network, such as 128, 256, and 512 satellites," and explained that "the total project cost, including satellite manufacturing and launch costs, ground station and terminal manufacturing costs, and operating costs, is about 3.9 trillion won to 14.2 trillion won."
Ahead of the original plan to send a lunar lander using a next-generation launch vehicle in 2032, a plan is also being pursued to first launch a private small lunar lander with Nuri in 2030. The small lunar lander will weigh about 700 kg, and the proposed size of the preliminary feasibility study, including private investment and launch costs, was presented as 444.7 billion won.
It will then expand the foundation for lunar exploration step by step by launching a lunar orbit communication satellite in 2029 and an Earth-moon science probe in 2031. It will also push to build an artificial intelligence (AI)-based space data center and a low Earth orbit production platform to support the creation of new space industries in telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, new materials, and semiconductors.
In launches, it will improve reliability through repeated launches of Nuri, pursue reusability of next-generation launch vehicles, and promote the development of small launch vehicles led by the private sector. Under the principle of "our satellites on our launch vehicles," the government will create domestic demand for launch vehicles, expand launch infrastructure in Goheung, South Jeolla, and consider building a second space center.
Vice Administrator Noh explained that the launch vehicle strategy will proceed on three tracks: repeated launches of Nuri, reusability of next-generation launch vehicles, and development of private small and medium launch vehicles. Nuri is preparing for at least one launch per year from the 8th to the 11th launches, and starting with the 8th launch it will switch to commercial launches. For next-generation launch vehicles, the goal is to establish a low-cost, high-frequency system in the mid-2030s and conduct 10 launches per year.
With a goal to join the global joint development of next-generation commercial aircraft around 2028, it will also push to localize advanced civil aircraft engines and strengthen aircraft manufacturing capabilities. It will start developing an electric-turbine hybrid vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, aiming to build a prototype and begin flight tests in 2030.
It will establish an aerospace belt along the South Coast, where aerospace corporations and infrastructure are clustered in Changwon, Sacheon, and Jinju in South Gyeongsang and Suncheon and Goheung in South Jeolla, and build an aerospace hub near the Korea AeroSpace Administration in Sacheon with a public-private joint research institute and core infrastructure for space exploration.
Institutional and organizational reforms will proceed in parallel. Vice Administrator Noh said, "An overhaul is being reviewed to unify the Korea AeroSpace Administration's organization into an Administrator and Vice Administrator structure," adding, "We will maintain the existing mission organization, but adjust the Deputy Minister position system to strengthen links between policy and missions and enhance the industry promotion function."
Administrator Oh added, "We will push the strategy with a sense of speed so that the aerospace industry becomes a new growth engine for the Republic of Korea and an opportunity to expand the economic territory into space."