Seoul: The national space agency announced on Wednesday its ambitious plan to establish a cross-sectoral education system to foster 30,000 aerospace talents by 2045. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to position the nation as a global leader in the space industry amid the evolving New Space era.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) introduced this initiative during a government policy meeting chaired by acting President Choi Sang-mok. The plan aims to build a robust space industry ecosystem in response to the New Space era, characterized by the growing involvement of private companies in the space sector.

The agency intends to collaborate with various government ministries to expand the pool of young talent in space science, cultivate mission-oriented specialists, and develop a field-ready workforce. As part of these efforts, KASA plans to increase the annual number of young aerospace trainees from 300 to 1,500.

To achieve these objectives, KASA will design space education programs for students and launch public outreach initiatives akin to NASA's Space Ambassador Program. This program enlists volunteers to promote space exploration nationwide.

Furthermore, KASA intends to enhance space education in elementary and secondary schools through after-school programs and integration with the new high school credit system. The plan also includes establishing an internship program at KASA and three major space industry clusters in Daejeon, South Jeolla Province, and South Gyeongsang Province. These clusters will serve as hubs for recruiting and nurturing talent in these regions.

In addition, KASA will operate strategy centers for space technology and support industry-academia partnership programs to enhance practical training in the field.