[2026 Parliamentary Audit] Nuri Takes Flight, but Arirang 6 Remains Grounded... Korea Aerospace Administration's Project and Personnel Management Also Under Scrutiny (Comprehensive)

Satellite Developed at a Cost of 370 Billion Won Expected to Launch Five Years After Completion... Limits of Reliance on Foreign Launch Vehicles
300 Billion Won Drone Complex Project Halted Just Six Days After Contract... 17 Fixed-Term Civil Servants Leave Early

South Korea's homegrown launch vehicle Nuri succeeded in its fifth launch, but the Multipurpose Satellite (Arirang 6), developed at a cost of 370 billion won, is still waiting on the ground to be launched. The satellite was completed in 2022, but its launch has been pushed back to next year, meaning it will head into space about five years after completion.

A 300 billion won project led by the Korea Aerospace Administration to establish a drone-specialized complex was suspended just six days after a research contract was signed, while 17 fixed-term civil servants hired to secure professional talent left before completing their terms. The parliamentary audit scrutinized not only the technical challenges facing South Korea's space development but also problems with project management and organizational operations.

Artist's rendering of the Korea Multipurpose Satellite (Arirang) 6, completed in 2022 but not yet launched due to delays in the schedule of an overseas launch vehicle. Provided by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

At the October 13 parliamentary audit of the Korea Aerospace Administration by the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, lawmakers questioned officials about space development policy in general, including satellite launch delays, launch vehicle technology development, research facility operations, and the management of professional personnel.

Arirang 6 is a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite capable of observing the ground through clouds and at night. However, repeated delays to the schedule for launching it on a foreign launch vehicle have prevented it from beginning its mission, even though construction is complete.

Rep. Lee Yeonhee of the Democratic Party of Korea raised concerns about additional costs and compensation related to the delay in launching Arirang 6. Lee said the delay had incurred about 3.8 billion won in additional costs and questioned who was responsible under the foreign launch contract. Korea Aerospace Administration head Tae seog Oh responded that discussions were underway regarding compensation.

Arirang 6 is currently being managed and inspected by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, with a launch target of the second quarter of 2027. The situation has underscored the reality that, even when domestic launch vehicle development is successful, South Korea may have to rely on foreign launch vehicles depending on mission requirements, such as a satellite's weight, target orbit, and launch schedule.

300 Billion Won Drone Project Stalls; 17 Fixed-Term Employees Leave Early

Problems with the agency's project management also came under close scrutiny. Rep. Lee Jeongheon of the Democratic Party of Korea said a 300 billion won project to establish a drone-specialized complex was suspended just six days after a research contract was signed on May 28, 2025. This was because it was discovered belatedly that securing the site originally planned for the project would be difficult.

The plan was to use approximately 119,000 square meters of land at the Changwon Correctional Institution in South Gyeongsang Province, but critics said the research contract was commissioned without sufficiently examining whether the site could be secured. The audit also raised concerns that Changwon City's official project plan, an assessment of the site's suitability, and prior consultations with the Ministry of Justice had not been properly completed.

Lee also questioned why only 96 million won of the 200 million won budget allocated for the project in 2025 had actually been spent, leaving the execution rate at 48%. The Korea Aerospace Administration terminated the existing research contract and selected a new company in February 2026 to reconsider potential project sites.

Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA) chief Tae seog Oh answers questions from committee members during a parliamentary audit held at the National Assembly on the 13th. Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency.

Oh said, "I believe there were various problems with carrying out the project," adding, "We will correct those issues and make thorough preparations in advance to ensure they do not happen again."

The departure of professional personnel also emerged as an issue. According to data provided by the Korea Aerospace Administration to Rep. Kim Seonmin of the Rebuilding Korea Party, 17 fixed-term civil servants had left before completing their terms since the agency opened in 2024, including 12 who left in 2026. Sixteen of them, including two senior civil servants, had worked for less than two years.

The agency operates hiring and compensation exceptions that differ from those of other government ministries in an effort to attract private-sector experts, but it was criticized for not having analyzed the reasons for early departures at the institutional level.

Oh noted that fixed-term civil servants can be employed for only three or five years, and explained that some leave for private companies after receiving offers of permanent positions or better terms. The agency said it would analyze the reasons for departures and consider ways to improve personnel management.

The operating structure of the National Space Committee was also criticized. Rep. Lee Juhee of the Democratic Party of Korea said the committee had only three support staff and that 11 of its 12 resolutions had been processed without the direct attendance of minister-level government committee members. Korea Aerospace Administration head Tae seog Oh acknowledged that the support organization was weak and lacked status, and said the agency was discussing improvements, including establishing a permanent secretariat, with relevant ministries.

Reusable Launch Vehicles and Satellite Communications Network Pose Challenges; Aging Research Facilities Also Criticized

Technical challenges in space development were also raised one after another. Rep. Lee Yeonhee of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed to the limited payload capacity of domestic launch vehicles in connection with the government's plan to build an independent low Earth orbit satellite communications network by 2035. The government is considering deploying between 128 and 512 satellites, but current domestic launch capabilities alone would not be sufficient to support the plan.

According to an analysis by the Korea Aerospace Administration released by Lee, the next-generation launch vehicle is expected to have seven launch opportunities between 2033 and 2035, enough to place only about 62 satellites into orbit. Oh said, "The Nuri and next-generation launch vehicles currently planned will not be able to launch all the satellites needed for the first phase of a low Earth orbit satellite communications network," adding, "We believe we will have to use foreign launch vehicles."

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) released a video on the 7th showing the Nuri launch vehicle being launched from the Naro Space Center in Goheung County, South Jeolla Province. Courtesy of KARI.

Funding for reusable launch vehicle technology development was also raised as an issue. Rep. Kim Wooyoung of the Democratic Party of Korea said a research and development (R&D) project on reusable launch vehicles that was planned for 2025 failed to secure funding because it was considered duplicative of a defense-sector project.

The project under consideration at the time was worth about 5 billion won and included technology development for artificial intelligence (AI)-based engine control, lightweight long-life valves, and thrust vector control. Kim stressed that the engine research in the defense sector and reusable technology for commercial space launch vehicles have different goals and applications, and that any overlap should therefore be assessed carefully.

The Korea Aerospace Administration said it had separately requested funding for the relevant technology development, but the request was not approved. However, it said the next-generation launch vehicle development program itself is underway, and that it plans to complete the system design for a reusable launch vehicle and begin substantial budget allocations in 2027.

Rep. Choi Hyeongdu of the People Power Party also raised concerns about the performance of domestic launch vehicle engines and launch costs, calling for the development of technology and cost competitiveness that can stand up to foreign companies.

The aging of research facilities and operating conditions also came under scrutiny. Rep. Han Junho of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed out that the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's propulsion test building was constructed in 1996. Citing the fact that researchers conduct tests at night and on weekends because of the burden of electricity costs, he called for facility upgrades and sufficient operating budgets.

Han stressed that research facility operations should not be approached simply as a matter of cost reduction, and that their impact on researcher safety and testing schedules should be considered. The Korea Aerospace Administration said it would review facility upgrades and operating conditions.

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