Korea-US Alliance Expands to 'Space Alliance'... Yoon Hopes to Be the Center of a New 70 Years (Comprehensive)

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) on the 25th (local time) and stated, "The Korea-US alliance is expanding beyond Earth into space, and I hope that the space alliance will be at the center of the new 70 years of the Korea-US alliance going forward." U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris personally guided President Yoon at the site and urged cooperation on the U.S.-led manned lunar exploration program. The two countries agreed to identify joint projects in areas such as satellite navigation systems and space exploration.

On the afternoon of the same day, President Yoon visited NASA's Goddard Research Center near Washington, D.C., and said, "I hope the space alliance between the two countries will expand not only in space technology and economic fields but also into space security."

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to the United States, is giving a speech on the 25th (local time) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center near Washington DC. On the right is Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

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Located in Greenbelt, Maryland, about 10 km northeast of Washington, D.C., the Goddard Space Center was established in 1959 as the United States' first space flight center. It currently plays a central role in the development and operation of satellites and spacecraft for space observation. Previously, former President Park Geun-hye also visited the Goddard Space Center during her visit to the U.S. in October 2015. President Yoon's visit to the Goddard Research Center is significant as it was realized through close consultations between the national space committee chairs of both countries. Vice President Harris is the chair of the U.S. Space Council, and President Yoon is the chair of the National Space Committee, both having expressed their commitment to directly overseeing the space economy.

Vice President Harris, who spoke first in the joint address, said, "We look forward to expanding cooperation on the Artemis program in the future." The Artemis program is a U.S.-led manned lunar exploration plan, and South Korea became the 10th participating country by signing the Artemis Accords in May 2021. Vice President Harris added, "The Korea-US alliance is a global alliance," and "The Korea-US alliance is leading the most urgent and pressing issues of our time."

President Yoon also emphasized through a live broadcasted speech that on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Korea-US alliance, the areas of cooperation between the two countries should expand into space. In particular, he said, "Through cooperation between the two countries, I hope the benefits of space development will reach people worldwide and that we will play a leading role in establishing fair and reasonable principles for the use of outer space."

He also conveyed the position that cooperation in the space sector between the two countries will be solidified as a space alliance through the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) and NASA. President Yoon elaborated, "I hope to discover and initiate joint research and development programs between the Aerospace Administration and NASA and to build a communication platform that allows active personnel exchanges and the sharing of information and knowledge as cooperative partners."

In line with this, the Ministry of Science and ICT and NASA signed a 'Joint Statement on Cooperation in Space Exploration and Space Science.' This program aims to identify and concretize joint projects in areas such as lunar exploration programs, satellite navigation systems, and space exploration, with detailed plans to be led by the Aerospace Administration. Referring to the signing of the joint statement, President Yoon said, "The joint statement signed today will be an opportunity for the space cooperation between the two countries to evolve into a genuine space alliance," to which Vice President Harris responded with strong agreement.

President Yoon said, "I vividly remember the moment on July 20, 1969, when Apollo 11 landed on the moon and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the lunar surface," adding, "Since then, space has been my dream and challenge." President Yoon also shared South Korea's 'Space Economy Roadmap,' which includes lunar resource mining by 2032 and Mars landing by 2045, with the U.S. side.

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