Participants pose for a photo at the Hanwha Space Conference held at the Cube Convention Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 29. Photo courtesy of Hanwha
Hanwha (000880) Group said on the 30th that it held the “Hanwha Space Conference” at Cube Convention Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 29th.
The event was designed to share the current state and outlook of the space sector at a time when space is emerging as a new frontier for humanity and a core future industry. Speakers included science communicator Gwedo, Chun Eun-ji, a professor of aerospace engineering at KAIST, and Chung Eui-hoon, an analyst specializing in space.
They stressed that the paradigm of the global space industry is shifting from government-led to private-sector-led development, and argued that South Korea needs a “Korean SpaceX” to represent the country.
Lee Jong-hyun, a master’s student in artificial intelligence at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Engineering, said he had long wondered about the future of Korea’s space industry while watching SpaceX innovate. “I learned that everything from launch vehicles to satellites and artificial intelligence infrastructure needs to be connected as a single ecosystem,” Lee said. “I think Korea also needs a flagship company to lead the space industry.”
Hanwha Group plans to reflect such views as it works to realize its vision for the space industry. The group intends to invest a combined 55 trillion won ($40 billion) in the aerospace and AI industries by 2040 to build integrated space infrastructure spanning independent launch vehicles, satellite networks and defense AI.
The group will focus in particular on creating a space and aerospace industrial belt linking Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province, home to Hanwha Aerospace (012450), and Sacheon, home to Korea Aerospace Industries (047810), along with the space center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, and the Hanwha Space Center on Jeju Island.
A Hanwha Group official said the company will do its utmost to build space industry infrastructure and nurture future generations so that South Korea can emerge as an AI-driven space power.