South Korea’s national space agency, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), unveiled a comprehensive plan on Wednesday to establish a cross-sectoral education system aimed at nurturing 30,000 aerospace professionals by 2045. This initiative is part of South Korea’s long-term strategy to position itself as a global leader in space exploration amid the growing influence of private companies in the New Space era.
The ambitious plan, revealed at a government policy meeting chaired by Acting President Choi Sang-mok, is designed to build a robust space industry ecosystem by expanding the talent pool and fostering mission-oriented specialists. The goal is to create a workforce capable of supporting the country’s space aspirations.
Under the initiative, KASA will collaborate with various government ministries to increase the number of young aerospace trainees from 300 to 1,500 per year. To achieve this, the agency will develop specialized space education programs, launch public outreach initiatives modeled after NASA’s Space Ambassador Programme, and expand space education in elementary and secondary schools through after-school activities and the high school credit system.
KASA also plans to introduce an internship program at its facilities and the three major space industry clusters to be developed in Daejeon, South Jeolla Province, and South Gyeongsang Province. These clusters will serve as recruitment hubs, helping foster aerospace talent in local areas. Additionally, strategy centers for space technology will be established to enhance practical training and strengthen industry-academia partnerships.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok emphasized the importance of human resource development in the space sector, stating, “To become one of the top five global powers in space, we must focus on nurturing a professional workforce, with active participation from young people. The global technology race extends to space, and we must be prepared.”
Choi also highlighted the government’s commitment to promoting increased collaboration between universities and research institutes, further bolstering South Korea’s research and development capabilities in the space industry.
(From IANS inputs)
