[2026 Future Business Forum] Sean Wilson: "In the Space Economy Era... Korean Companies Must Leverage Strengths in Semiconductors and AI"

Keynote Speech by Mirai Group (TMG) CEO

"U.S. Leading the Global Space Market"

"Local Investment and M&A Strategies in the U.S. Are Crucial"

Sean Wilson, Founder and CEO of Mirai Group (TMG), emphasized, "Korean companies should leverage their existing industrial strengths in semiconductors, AI, telecommunications, and robotics to enter the U.S. market by integrating them with the space industry."

During his keynote speech at the "2026 Asia Future Business Forum" held at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, on May 13, Wilson stated, "The largest opportunity in the space economy is undoubtedly the U.S. market," adding, "The United States accounts for an overwhelming share of the global market in most space industry sectors, including launches, satellite communications, and remote sensing."

Sean Wilson, Founder and CEO of Mirai Group, is delivering a keynote speech on the topic of 'Business Opportunities in the Space Economy Era and South Korea's Strategic Cooperative Role' at the 2026 Asia Future Business Forum held at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, on May 13, 2026. Photo by Cho Yongjun

He explained, "The U.S. launch market represents about 55-60% of the global market, and even in remote sensing data procurement, the U.S. government alone accounts for roughly half of the global commercial market." He added, "The space communications sector also constitutes approximately 40% of the global market."

Wilson analyzed that the substantial U.S. government defense and space budgets are driving market growth. He said, "The U.S. Department of Defense's space-related budget alone is around 40 billion dollars (approximately 60 trillion won)," and "NASA's budget is about 24.4 billion dollars (around 36 trillion won)."

Wilson assessed that Korean companies have a competitive advantage in the space economy era. He stated, "Korea already possesses global competitiveness in sectors that can be linked to the space industry, such as semiconductors, mobility, ICT, AI, biotech, and robotics." He further evaluated, "Korean companies' experience in expanding their businesses with a global market focus from the outset is also a significant strength."

He particularly stressed the importance of M&A strategies when entering the U.S. market. He said, "Strategies such as acquiring U.S. companies or making local investments will become increasingly important for market entry," and added, "If there is a necessary technology, acquiring it directly is an option, and conversely, it is also possible to sell your company to a large corporation and start a new business."

TMG provides strategic consulting and practical support to clients seeking international partnerships in the aerospace and advanced technology sectors. Before founding TMG, Wilson served as Director of International Space Policy at the U.S. National Space Council.

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