SEOUL, 30th May, 2024 (WAM) -- Republic of Korea said Thursday that it will send a space exploration vehicle to the moon by 2032 and plant a national flag on Mars by 2045.
Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the country plans to invest 100 trillion won (US$72.5 billion) by 2045 in space projects.
President Yoon Suk Yeol unveiled this plan during the opening ceremony of the nation's new space agency, the Korea AeroSpace Administration, in Sacheon, about 300 kilometres south of Seoul.
"We will land our space exploration vehicle on the moon in 2032 and plant the Taegeukgi on Mars in 2045," Yoon said in his opening remarks, referring to the name of the national flag.
Yoon pledged to increase the budget and investment in the space and aerospace industries to enhance their competitiveness. "We will expand the related budget to over 1.5 trillion won by 2027 and attract about 100 trillion won in investment by 2045," he said.