Goheung-gun Declares Leap as Asia's Leading Spaceport

Published 14 Mar.2024 09:13(KST)

Launch of Space Industry Cluster

Realizing a Leading Space Economy by 2045

Gohung-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Gong Young-min) officially declared on the 13th at the ‘Korea Space Industry Cluster Launch Event’ held at Korea Aerospace Industries (hereinafter ‘KAI’) in Sacheon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, that it will leap forward as the ‘Asia Representative Spaceport’ through fostering the space launch vehicle industry.

Hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, this event was jointly organized by Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Daejeon, Gohung, Sacheon, and Jinju, adopting the slogan ‘New Space · Space Economy Triangular Formation (Jeollanam-do · Gyeongsangnam-do · Daejeon),’ expressing the government’s strong will to realize a space economy powerhouse by 2045.

[Photo by Goheung-gun]

The event was attended by about 450 people including President Yoon Seok-yeol, Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho, the triangular axis of the cluster?Governor Kim Young-rok of Jeollanam-do, Governor Park Wan-soo of Gyeongsangnam-do, Mayor Lee Jang-woo of Daejeon, Governor Gong Young-min of Gohung, Mayor Park Dong-sik of Sacheon, Mayor Jo Gyu-il of Jinju?as well as local government officials, businesspeople, researchers, and academic experts.

The launch ceremony began with a tour of the KAI Space Center, followed by the President’s congratulatory speech, the Minister of Science and ICT’s presentation on the vision and promotion plan for the space industry cluster, and presentations on development plans by each local government. During the celebratory performance, President Yoon Seok-yeol took the stage with three students and researchers representing Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, and Daejeon, including students from Gohung High School, to wish for the leap to a global space economy powerhouse.

President Yoon said, “We must challenge space, which holds infinite opportunities and a tremendous market, more vigorously,” adding, “Along with establishing the Space Aviation Agency and presenting the space economy roadmap, today we launched the world’s top-level triangular system of space industry clusters.”

He further promised, “We will strongly support the success of the cluster by exempting the preliminary feasibility study for the planned Gohung space launch vehicle national industrial complex.”

In the main announcement of the event, the government stated that to realize a ‘space economy powerhouse,’ it plans to invest approximately 600 billion KRW by 2031 to establish the triangular system of space industry clusters, and reiterated that about 400 billion KRW will be invested to newly create the Gohung space launch vehicle national industrial complex.

Additionally, as a pilot project to create synergy among clusters and strengthen the domestic space industry value chain, the (tentatively named) Samgakbyeol Project will be promoted, and a special law will be enacted for the comprehensive and sustainable development of the clusters, continuously pursuing regulatory improvements.

Governor Gong Young-min of Gohung said, “Gohung is the only region in the country with the Naro Space Center and has the optimal conditions for fostering the launch vehicle industry,” adding, “We will work together to become a hub of the space industry that can realize Korea’s space economy roadmap.”

He also expressed gratitude to the government, saying, “Following the exemption from the preliminary feasibility study decision last August for the private launch site and launch vehicle technology commercialization center construction project, I thank the government for the policy to proceed with the space launch vehicle national industrial complex with a preliminary feasibility study exemption as well in February,” and pledged, “We will speedily promote the construction of core infrastructure for the space launch vehicle industry.”

Meanwhile, along with pushing for the preliminary feasibility study exemption for the Gohung space launch vehicle national industrial complex, Gohung-gun plans to devote full efforts to the development project of the Space Launch Vehicle Science Complex, the only domestic space science education and experience facility modeled after the U.S. Kennedy Space Center, located near the Space Science Museum.