By Kayla Lee

The Gyeongsangnam-do (Gyeongnam) delegation for international cooperation in aerospace visited the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 5 (local time) to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in aerospace for the successful opening of the Korea Aerospace Administration in Sacheon.
 

The visit was organized to find implications for establishing the space agency and fostering related industries by visiting the headquarters of NASA, the world's leading space development organization.

The delegation listened to specific examples of NASA's cooperation with local governments, explored Gyeongnam's role in opening the space agency and securing its sustainability, and shared opinions on cooperation measures to foster excellent human resources and the construction of an aerospace complex city centered on the space agency that Gyeongnam is planning.

Governor Park Wan-soo said, "Gyeongnam is promoting the creation of a space complex city with a residential, cultural, and educational environment where professionals can settle down ahead of the launch of the Korea Aerospace Administration." 

"Gyeongnam Province will play a leading role in fostering human resources in cooperation with local universities and establishing networks between companies and institutions for the establishment of the space agency and the development of the space industry," he said, seeking NASA's advice.

Meredith Mckay, deputy administrator of NASA Headquarters, said, "NASA has been ranked as the most desirable organization to work for among U.S. government agencies for 11 years. NASA centers have created a self-sustaining ecosystem where companies and related organizations gather, naturally attracting young talents." 

He emphasized the creative role of local governments and the need to link with the central government to improve the urban environment to attract young talents.

Gyeongnam is promoting the construction of an aerospace complex city to help the space agency settle successfully by strengthening the overall functioning and settlement conditions of the city, including transportation, culture, and educational conditions in Sacheon, which has been confirmed as the site for the establishment of the space agency, and to create a foundation for the sustainable development of the aerospace industry, the region's flagship industry, to make it an internationally competitive aerospace luxury city.

As the demand for public and private satellites is expected to increase rapidly in the new space era, it is expected to contribute significantly to the creation of a private-led and self-sustaining space industry ecosystem through the creation of a space industry cluster by building a space environment test facility and a satellite development innovation center, which are core infrastructure facilities for the space industry.

Governor Park requested NASA officials to visit Gyeongnam to strengthen cooperation in the aerospace field, and NASA responded positively. Through this visit, Gyeongnam Province is expected to secure a communication channel to build a lasting cooperative relationship with NASA, which will serve as a bridge between NASA, the Korea Aerospace Administration, and local companies in the future.

Gyeongsangnam-do Governor Park Wan-soo, Gyeongsang National University President Kwon Soon-ki, Changwon Chamber of Commerce Vice President Jeong Young-sik, Special Assistant for Policy Lee Young-il, Industry and Trade Commissioner Ryu Myung-hyun, and Aerospace Industry Division Head Cho Yeo-moon participated in the NASA visit.