Yoon Young-bin, inaugural administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration, speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Wednesday, after he was appointed to the position. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol named aerospace engineering professor Yoon Young-bin as the inaugural administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA), set to commence operations on May 27.

Also, the president appointed John Lee, a retired senior executive from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), as the head of missions at the inaugural agency in charge of research and development programs for space.

"The president emphasized their status as top industry experts and urged them to make thorough preparations for the successful launch of KASA, ensuring its ability to effectively lead Korea's aerospace industry," said Sung Tae-yoon, presidential director of national policy, as he announced the appointments during a press conference at the presidential office, Wednesday.

The Seoul National University (SNU) aerospace engineering professor earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. His expertise lies in combustion, propulsion, and rocket engines, and he has been instructing students at SNU since 1996. Additionally, he heads SNU's Space Propulsion Research Center and played a pivotal role in the project to launch Korea's inaugural space vehicle, the Naro.

John Lee, a retired senior executive the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, listens to a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Wednesday, after he was appointed as the head of missions at the Korea AeroSpace Administration. Yonhap

Also gaining attention was Lee, the mission head, who will be controlling the agency's projects in the fields of space transportation, satellites, outer space exploration and aerospace technology.

Lee is a Korean American who worked for NASA for 29 years. His extensive experience encompasses serving as a senior advisor for flight projects at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Lee will be the highest-paid public official in Korea, with the government promising him an annual salary of $182,000, matching that of the president. While he holds U.S. citizenship, the government has granted KASA the authority to employ foreign nationals and individuals with multiple citizenships for positions other than the agency's head.

The establishment of KASA underscores the increasing imperative to bolster the timely development of the nation's space competitiveness amid escalating international competition in space development.

In April of last year, the government introduced a special act to place KASA under the Ministry of Science and ICT. The Assembly passed the bill in January, creating the legal framework for the agency's establishment.

Establishing KASA fulfills one of Yoon's presidential election pledges.

In November 2022, he unveiled Korea's Space Economy Roadmap, featuring plans for a Korean spacecraft to land on the moon and commence mining lunar resources by 2032, followed by a Mars landing in 2045.

During his state visit to the U.S. in April last year, Yoon toured NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and agreed to enhance the alliance between the two countries in the realm of space exploration.

In March, Yoon pledged to allocate 1.5 trillion won ($1.1 billion) as part of the government budget for space-related initiatives by 2027. The aim is to position the country to capture 10 percent of the global space industry market share by 2045.

KASA will be headquartered in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province. It plans to start operations with approximately 110 workers, and increase the employees to 293 by the end of this year.