President urges international cooperation in space development

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Oct. 12 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called on the international
community Monday to collaborate on space programs, saying the development of
space and related technologies are linked to the survival of mankind.

"Space technology is already being applied in various areas of our daily lives.
Space technology is the growth engine that will open the future of the mankind,
and it has become a necessary tool for our own survival," the president said in a
speech marking the opening of the 60th International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
in the South Korean city of Daejeon.
Lee said many problems currently facing the world, including hunger, poverty and
climate change, cannot be solved by individual nations but require the joint
efforts of the international community.
"Space development is the same. Countries must work to better understand space
through close cooperation and also share the outcome of their individual research
for the better of the entire human race," he told the international conference.
As a start, South Korea will share its IT, nano and bio technologies with the
rest of the world, the president said.
"I believe it will significantly contribute to the development of the world's
space industry if we can apply such technologies to our space programs," he said.
The annual fair of the IAC, launched in 1950 in Paris, will be held until Friday
with an estimated participation of nearly 3,000 officials, scientists and
spectators from some 70 countries.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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