Temporary Office for Space Aviation Agency to Be Selected Next Month... Workforce Expansion Also Begins

Ministry of Science and ICT Opens Public Applications for Temporary Cheong Building in Sacheon
Contract Scheduled for the 15th of Next Month
Decision Between Sacheon City and Former Samcheonpo Area
Manpower Securing TF Also Activated Within Space Aviation Cheong Promotion Team

The selection of a temporary office for the newly established Space Aviation Agency is imminent. The Ministry of Science and ICT will finalize the temporary office by mid-next month and begin securing personnel, marking the start of full-scale preparations for the agency's opening. Sacheon City, where the office will be located, is also preparing to provide active support.

Gyeongnam Province installed a congratulatory message for the passage of the Space Aviation Agency Special Act on a model of the Korean launch vehicle 'Nuriho' in front of the provincial office on the 9th to commemorate the passage of the Space Aviation Agency Special Act.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT on the 30th, proposals for the Space Aviation Agency's temporary office are being accepted until the 2nd. The Space Aviation Agency Promotion Team will evaluate the submitted buildings and select the top priority negotiation candidate by the 9th of next month, with a lease contract to be signed by the 15th. This means a swift decision will be made within two weeks from the proposal deadline to submission. To complete office construction, communication, and security by the scheduled opening on May 27, the schedule must be expedited.

The Ministry of Science and ICT requires the temporary office to have a building area of over 4,000㎡ to accommodate approximately 300 personnel, along with considerations for protection, security, and parking space. Proximity to an on-site cafeteria and availability of childcare facilities are also included in the evaluation criteria.

The Ministry intends to select the temporary office building fairly by comprehensively considering space, price, and location. This means that, in addition to the three candidate sites recommended by Gyeongsangnam-do and Sacheon City, other buildings wishing to house the temporary office may be used if they meet favorable conditions.

The Ministry has formed an evaluation committee to fairly decide on the Space Aviation Agency's temporary office. The evaluation scoring allocates the highest points to cost and convenience, each with 30 points, followed by suitability for occupancy with 20 points, and working environment and general factors with 10 points each.

Although it was initially reported that the temporary office location was narrowed down to two sites recommended by Gyeongsangnam-do and Sacheon City?the Aron Airship and Shipbuilding Industry building in Sanam-myeon, Sacheon City, and the former Sacheon Livestock Cooperative building in Sacheon-eup?the Space Aviation Agency Promotion Team insists on finding buildings with better conditions. This is interpreted as the current sites not fully meeting the Ministry's standards. Lee Jae-hyung, head of the Space Aviation Agency Establishment Promotion Team, explained, "There are not many buildings available for office use on-site, so we want to receive proposals from as many buildings as possible." In this regard, local opinions in Sacheon suggest that consideration should be given to the former Samcheonpo City area, which has been integrated with Sacheon City.

Yoon Chan-hyun, head of the Space Aviation Agency Installation TF Team at Sacheon City Hall, said, "Once the temporary office location is decided next month, we will actively support transportation, housing, and other needs." The city side currently assesses that there is no significant issue with housing for Space Aviation Agency employees, as there are many houses and unsold apartments available. Once the location is finalized, shuttle bus operations and adjustments to city bus stops will also be implemented.

Efforts to secure personnel for the Space Aviation Agency are also gaining momentum. On the 29th, the Space Aviation Agency Establishment Promotion Team began operating a task force (TF) to secure personnel. The promotion team plans to recruit personnel from affiliated research institutes such as the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, which will be incorporated under the Space Aviation Agency, as well as hire outstanding talent from overseas.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.