S. Korea approves plan to build low-Earth orbit satellite network by 2035

SEOUL, July 3 (Xinhua) -- South Korea has approved a strategy to build its own low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications network by 2035 and move up its lunar landing target to 2030, Yonhap News Agency reported Friday.

The strategy was approved Friday at a meeting of the National Space Committee chaired by President Lee Jae Myung.

Under the plan, South Korea aims to deploy hundreds of satellites to establish an independent LEO satellite communications network by 2035.

Oh Tae-seok, administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), said major spacefaring nations are racing to build LEO satellite networks, describing them as critical infrastructure for safeguarding national security and communications sovereignty, as well as a strategic foundation for the 6G era.

Oh said the project is also expected to significantly strengthen South Korea's domestic satellite and launch vehicle industries and foster the country's aerospace industrial ecosystem.

The government also advanced its target for a homegrown lunar landing mission from 2032 to 2030 as part of broader efforts to foster the country's space industry and enhance its competitiveness in the global space economy. Enditem