President calls for efforts to develop space technology

SEOUL, June 11 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday called for stepped
up efforts to develop space technology as the country prepares for next months'
launch of a satellite via its first domestically developed launch vehicle.

The president said South Korea must become the world's seventh largest space
developer within the decade.
"The world economy is suffering and our economy is no exception, but we cannot
give up the future just because current conditions are difficult," Lee said in a
speech marking the opening of the country's first space center in Goheung, South
Jeolla Province. The opening ceremony was held at the Naro Space Center, located
some 450 kilometers south of Seoul.
Built on over 5 million square meters of land, the facility will be the launch
site of the country's first-ever space vehicle on July 30. The new space center
made South Korea the world's 13th member of the so-called "space club,"
comprising countries that operate space centers and can send satellites into
orbit.
Lee said the space development program will be a new source of growth and
national competitiveness, noting it requires strong and advanced technology, as
well as economic strength.
South Korea already has several satellites, but all of them had been put into
space by other countries, mainly Russia.
Yi So-yeon, 31, became the country's first astronaut last year after she traveled
to space on a Russian shuttle.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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