South Korea's Space Program: Activities and Ambitions

Abstract

South Korea's Space Program:Activities and Ambitions Hyoung Joon An (bio) Among spacefaring nations, the Republic of Korea (ROK) is a relatively young player. Despite establishing some infrastructure necessary for space-related activity in the 30 years after the launch of Sputnik, the country truly committed to such activity only in the 1990s. Since then, South Korea's space program has developed rapidly to become a significant presence. In 1992 the launch of KITsat-1 (Korean Institute of Technology Satellite), the first ROK satellite, marked the program's first major achievement, after which the country built up its technological capabilities for space exploration relatively quickly. It has launched 37 satellites into orbit to date and in 2013 developed its first space launch vehicle, the KSLV-1 (also called Naro-1).1 At present, South Korea aims to launch the first wholly Korean-made launch rocket, the KSLV-2 (also called Nuri), by 2021, which will later be used to launch a lunar orbiter and lander as well. This essay examines how South Korea's national framework for space development and scientific and technological activities in the space sector have evolved in recent decades. To understand the country's space-oriented ambitions, the essay reviews the ROK's "Third Basic Plan for the Promotion of Space Development, 2018–2022," which marks the nation's latest comprehensive space policy and includes space launch vehicles, satellites, the Korea Lunar Exploration Program, and the Korean Positioning System (KPS). Historical Background and Institutional Framework The vision of developing space for economic security has provided a strong boost to various ROK space projects since the 1980s. Although the country did not have an adequate infrastructure network for such development, in the 1970s it began outlining a new economic rationale for entering the field of space technology based on developing high-tech [End Page 34] infrastructure and skilled workers trained in the nation's growing defense industry. Because the majority of the country's industries utilized low-cost labor and only became competitive in world markets in the 1980s, the government emphasized space development as a way to reinforce the country's economic security.2 Space development was expected to afford South Korea the opportunity to catch up with advanced industrial nations and withstand fierce international competition in new technologies. In 1985 the government announced the "Long-Term Plan for the Development of Science and Technology toward the 2000s," which emphasized space development as a way to reinforce industrial competitiveness. Furthermore, in 1987 it passed the Aerospace Industry Development and Promotion Act, which provided the first significant funding for a national space program. Both strategies focused on developing satellites and sounding rockets for space launch vehicles expected to follow.3 With the establishment of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in 1989—which would become the principal actor in South Korea's civilian space program—SaTReC (Satellite Research Center) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Korea Telecom emerged as central actors. Although initially relying on technology imported from other countries, South Korea aspired to attain indigenous capabilities for space development. In 1996 the government announced the "First Basic Plan on Mid-to-Long-Term National Space Development." The chief objectives were to join the top ten countries in the space industry and, by 2010, to launch the KSLV-1 from a local launch site with an independently developed satellite. This plan was ultimately replaced by the "Basic Plan for the Promotion of Space Development" in 2007. In addition, the government passed the Space Development Promotion Act in 2005, which stipulates that it must draft a basic plan every five years to address emerging objectives and strategies for national space development. Announced in February 2018, the current "Third Basic Plan for 2018–2022" set the ultimate objective of "improving public safety and quality of life by implementing challenging but reliable space development." To achieve that objective, it identifies four strategies: harmonizing challenges and practicalities, selecting and focusing on strategic sectors, creating new [End Page 35] industries and jobs, and sharing the public vision (Figure 1). These four strategies are accompanied by four goals. First, to establish an indigenous space launch vehicle, South Korea...