[The Chosun Ilbo, January 17 2008] Korea to Invest W316 Bil. in Space Research

The government plans to inject as much as W316 billion (US$1=W937) this year to spur the development of the nation's fledgling space industry.

Space scientists in Korea are brimming with anticipation as 2008 will usher in a number of ambitious projects in domestic space exploration.

Among them, Korea will send its first-ever astronauts on a space mission, open the doors to a new space center and launch several new satellites into orbit.

Funding for Korea's space program is part of efforts to bring the space industry to a new level as Seoul seeks to end its reliance on other countries and keep pace with global advancements.