Lee calls for fresh start in surprise visit to space center

GOHEUNG, South Korea, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak made a surprise
visit to the country's space center Friday to encourage researchers, who
unsuccessfully launched the country's first-ever space vehicle this week.
"I believe the wise learn from their mistakes to achieve a greater goal while the
foolish only learn frustration from their failures," the president said during
his visit to the Naro Space Center here in Goehung.
The space center launched the country's first space rocket, Korea Space Launch
Vehicle-1, on Tuesday in what President Lee earlier called a "half successful"
attempt as it failed to put a satellite carried by the rocket in orbit.
"Our citizens, too, are very disappointed, but they believe it was half
successful. They do not want to describe it as a failure and this is because they
hope to see you completely succeed one day through today's half success," the
president said.
"You may have not been able to shrug off your disappointment, but I want you to
rise from your disappointment and regrets and once again charge toward your goal
and that is why I am here today," Lee said of his trip to the space center
located some 480 kilometers south of Seoul.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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