[2026 Future Enterprise Forum] "Domestic Space Industry Needs Increased Government Budget...Investment Set to Accelerate"

Three Financial Investment Experts Discuss the Space Industry

"SpaceX's IPO Could Further Expand the Industry"

The financial investment industry has suggested that the government should play a more active role, such as increasing budget allocations, in order to advance the domestic space industry and raise public interest.

Jihun Jeong, Senior Researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities Aerospace Research Center, is participating in a discussion on the topic "The Global Space Economy Restructuring Era, Korea's Investment Strategy and Security Considerations" at the 2026 Asia Future Enterprise Forum held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 13th. 2026.5.13 Photo by Jinhyung Kang

Jihun Jeong, Researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities Aerospace Research Center, made these remarks during a panel discussion at the “2026 Asia Future Enterprise Forum” held at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, on May 13.

Researcher Jeong emphasized, “China is making massive budget investments at a truly astonishing pace, and the same goes for India, Japan, and Europe, where significant amounts are being invested. In comparison, I feel that Korea is still somewhat lacking in this regard. If government-level support increases, it will raise interest in the industry and lead to more investment opportunities.”

Panelists attending the '2026 Asia Future Business Forum' held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 13th are discussing the topic "The Global Space Economy Reshaping Era: Korea's Investment Strategy and Security Considerations." From the left, Eulseok Oh, Director of the National Security Strategy Institute; Jaewoong Choi, Head of Investment at Futureplay; Jihun Jung, Senior Researcher at Eugene Investment & Securities Aerospace Research Center; and Iltae Kim, Head of Investment Division 2 at Sema Investment. May 13, 2026. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

Iltae Kim, Head of Investment Division 2 at Sema Investment, commented, “This year, two companies are preparing to go public, and many companies are receiving investments. I expect that investment attraction performance will surpass last year’s results.” He added, “There has long been skepticism that only the United States excels in the space industry, which has been a major hurdle; however, the mood is changing significantly. In particular, if SpaceX goes public, I believe this sentiment will be further alleviated.”

Jaewoong Choi, Head of Investment Division 1 at Futureplay, stated, “I think the launch vehicle market has started to open up in Korea, and the market itself has matured significantly over the past five to ten years, leading to more active discussions. Just yesterday, I met with a startup specializing in satellite observation. Both domestic and international startups are now able to present their unique strengths, so investment in this sector is expected to grow substantially going forward.”

Eulseok Oh, Director of the National Security Strategy Institute (INSS) and moderator of the discussion, said, “While overseeing space security at the National Security Strategy Institute, I have engaged in various activities, and the area I was most interested in was the issue of space finance. I believe it is now time for capital to be invested in space. As we are transitioning from ‘Old Space’ to ‘New Space,’ various financial techniques need to be introduced into the space sector.”

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