(Yonhap Feature) S. Korea striving to nurture aerospace industry

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will strive to join the ranks of world's
aerospace technology leaders by forging future cooperative tie-ups with foreign
space experts and agencies at an upcoming global astronautical conference,
organizers of the event said Friday.
The 60th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), scheduled to start Monday
for a five-day run, is likely to bring together a record 3,000 participants from
70 countries, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Daejeon City
said.
The participants will attend numerous conferences, technical sessions and
exhibitions in Daejeon, 164km south of Seoul, that will set future trends on
technological development, draw up laws and regulations and promote activities
for peaceful and sustainable use of space.
The congress is expected to help South Korea highlight progress made in its
aerospace capabilities in the past 20 years and build important human networking
that can fuel joint research and development (R&D) and information sharing.
"The IAC is the greatest concentration of experts in this field, that could play
a integral part in getting South Korea to make the next leap forward in the
development of this crucial sector," science minister Ahn Byong-man said.
After a late start, Seoul managed to send its first astronaut into space in 2008
and launched its first satellite-carrying rocket in late August. Policymaker have
also pledged to spend 24 billion won (US$20.5 million) over the next three years
to fuel the country's capabilities in the space exploration field.
The minister pointed out that the country is committed to space exploration, with
plans moving forward to launch a second Korea Space Launch Vehicle-1 (KSLV-1) and
satellite next year and by moving to build a wholly indigenous space vehicle
around 2018. The KSLV-1 uses Russian technology for the main booster rocket, with
South Korean scientists making the smaller second stage rocket and satellite. The
August launch has been viewed as a "half-success" since 100kg scientific
satellite failed to reach proper orbit and was lost.
Choi Heung-sik, secretary general of the Daejeon local organizing committee,
echoed Ahn's resolve to move forward despite some setbacks, claiming that the
future of mankind lay in the use of space.
"Space science and related technologies are vital because they have far reaching
implications for industrial and everyday use," he said.
He claimed the country's strength in the information technology sector -- which
has considerable applications in space exploration -- can be used to attract
cooperative tie-ups, and human networking.
The former diplomat pointed out that cooperation is crucial since South Korea
cannot by itself develop all the knowhow. Governments are usually reluctant to
share space-related technologies that are directly linked to overall national
competitiveness and can be used for military purposes.
Winning cooperation translates into economic gains for the country, which is
seeking to find viable next generation growth engines that can help create new
jobs and generate business investment.
State-run Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade speculated that the
KSLV-1 project that cost 502.5 billion won generated 533 billion won worth of
fresh work in the local construction sector with an additional 362.9 billion won
created by the production of parts, materials and components used in the rocket.
Research has also shown that space exploration-related technologies have greater
value-added worth in the long run than automobile manufacturing.
Organizers for the IAC 2009 Daejeon, meanwhile, said that world experts from U.S.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Space Agency, Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency, the Chinese National Space Administration and
Russian Federal Space Agency will be present in force to discuss ways to move
forward on peaceful use of space.
Executives and researchers from Boeing and Lockheed Martin and universities will
be present as well.
Aerospace experts government officials and businessmen, will take part in
"highlight lectures" outlining space exploration, technical sessions, a young
professional program and so-called late breaking news that can help gauge the
latest development trends.
They will exchange views on the latest advances made by aerospace companies
around the world, and the potential role of astronautical sciences to deal with
global climate change.
South Korea is the fourth in Asia to host the IAC after Japan, China and India,
and won the right to organize the event in 2006, by beating out challenges from
Prague and Shanghai.
The congress, first held in Paris in 1950, is the single largest conference on
space science, with 28 countries having played host so far. It aims to promote
the peaceful use of space, supports research and studies and sets regimes to
regulate development.
Besides gathering for experts, Daejeon, KARI and the science ministry said
special exhibitions will be held throughout the week to mark the 40th anniversary
of man's first landing on the moon, and celebrate the U.N.'s International Year
of Astronomy.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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