Governor Wansu Park of Gyeongnam Urges Proactive Review for Establishing a Space Academy to Foster Aerospace Talent

"To ensure the continued growth of the aerospace industry, there is a need to establish specialized institutions for workforce development, such as a space academy."

Governor Wansu Park of Gyeongnam Province made these remarks while leading the expanded executive meeting held on September 7 in the provincial government meeting room.

Governor Park stated, "In Gyeongnam, we already have a foundation for aerospace education and workforce development centered around local high schools specializing in aviation and local universities," and added, "Going forward, we must proactively review whether it is necessary to establish dedicated institutions for specialized workforce development in order to secure outstanding talent in the field of space."

He continued, "If it is determined that there is a need, we should not wait for central government policy but instead proactively explore ways to prepare relevant legal and institutional measures. Along with tracking the trends in the establishment of the United States Space Force Academy and reviewing global examples of workforce development at institutions like NASA, please actively explore approaches to fostering space professionals that suit Gyeongnam’s environment."

Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province is leading the expanded executive meeting.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Province]

During the meeting, Governor Park also emphasized follow-up actions, noting that in the 6th nationwide preliminary feasibility study for national and regional road construction projects, Gyeongnam had nine road projects approved—the highest number in the country.

He stated, "It is difficult to secure national funding unless projects are included in the national plan, and ultimately, it is not possible to build infrastructure such as roads or railways otherwise. Even getting a single project into the national plan is a tangible achievement for both the residents and the development of the region."

He further commented, "Recently, more projects from Gyeongnam have been included in various national plans thanks to the hard work of public officials, so please ensure that those who have delivered results are properly recognized in personnel evaluations." He emphasized, "The very process of reflecting projects in the national plan is about building the groundwork for the region’s future."

Regarding next year’s national funding, he said, "Please work with the region’s political leaders to ensure that projects already reflected in the government plan are ultimately finalized in the National Assembly, and that additional projects not currently included can also be added during the review process. Furthermore, closely review the burden on local finances due to the expansion of national subsidy projects to ensure there are no setbacks in next year’s budget formulation."

An expanded executive meeting is being held in the provincial government conference room at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Office.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Province]

In particular, Governor Park assessed that with the government about to announce the second phase of public institution relocations along with national railway and road network plans, it is now the final stage for critical responses.

He went on to say, "We must fully understand government trends and make every effort, together with local members of the National Assembly, the business community, and residents, to attract public institutions to the region. I will also personally visit Seoul to actively consult with relevant agencies."

He added, "Even during the regular National Assembly session, further strengthen each department’s actions so that major legislative issues—such as the Special Act for the Development of the South Coast Area and the Special Act for the Aerospace City Complex—and national funding projects can make progress during budget reviews and government audits."

In addition, he addressed the recent heavy rain, stating, "With all of Tongyeong newly designated as a special disaster zone, ensure that practical support for the affected is provided promptly and that displaced residents of Geoje and Tongyeong can return home before the Chuseok holiday by speeding up recovery work."

He also instructed, "Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, expand measures to manage prices beyond simply holding meetings or inspections by publicly disclosing price information for multi-use businesses so that residents can directly compare and choose, and ensure that practical countermeasures are in place to curb price increases." He once again stressed the need to implement comprehensive, practical measures related to living conditions, covering areas such as holiday prices, healthcare, transportation, and fire prevention during the Chuseok holiday.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.