20251126 South Korea Nuri Rocket

The Korea AeroSpace Administration is set to launch the fourth Nuri rocket at the Naro Space Center on the southern island of Oenarodo. (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)

KIM JAEWON

SEOUL — South Korea is set to launch its first homegrown space rocket with the entire assembly process led by a private company, marking a milestone in the transition of the country’s space program from being centered on the government to one where the private sector plays a leading bigger role.