July 6, 2026
SEOUL – President Lee Jae Myung pledged Friday to foster South Korea’s space and aerospace industry as a key pillar of national security and a future growth engine, saying global technological competition is rapidly expanding beyond Earth.
“Space is becoming a stage of boundless opportunity for countries equipped with advanced technology and industrial capabilities, much like the seas during the age of exploration,” Lee said during a meeting of the National Space Council in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.
The fifth meeting of the council was held near South Korea’s southern coastal aerospace cluster, as the government seeks to turn the region into a hub for the country’s space and aviation industries.
Lee said the space sector is shifting from a field led mainly by state-funded research and exploration to a major industry driven by capital and markets.
“To become an unrivaled industrial powerhouse, South Korea needs concentrated investment in and support for the space and aerospace industry,” Lee said.
Lee also cited SpaceX as an example of the sector’s growth potential, saying the government would provide full support for local companies and scientists to take bold risks.
“Our technological capabilities have already been proven,” Lee said. “We must now turn the achievements built through the dedication of researchers into stronger industrial competitiveness.”
“I believe the aerospace belt along the southern coast will lead South Korea’s leap toward becoming a space power,” he said.
During the meeting, Oh Tae-seog, head of the Korea AeroSpace Administration, briefed Lee on the government’s strategy to nurture the country’s space and aerospace industry.
Lee also congratulated newly appointed members of the National Space Council, asking them to help open a new space era for South Korea with a strong sense of responsibility.