Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)

On 10 October 1989, the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) was created, along with the Korean Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISCO), as part of the national development plan for establishing a strong technology basis for the Republic of Korea. Both research institutes were created as new subsidiaries to that of the existing Korean Institute of Machinery and Metals (KIMM), which was established in December, 1976. KARI was established as a leading Korean research institute to promote advanced aerospace research activities. KARI has a specific responsibility of advancing the level of Korean aerospace research to the world class and helping to create a very competitive aerospace market place in Korea.

As of 1994, KARI had a total workforce of 180 people with 120 people in four research divisions. Of 120 researchers, 56 are PhD holders. As far as the budget is concerned, KARI's funding level had increased every year and is expected to increase in Fiscal Year 1995 due to the construction of about 20 test facilities which were scheduled for completion by 1995.

South Korea and the U.S. agreed 01 March 2016 on deal to boost civilian exchanges in the space sector. It is aimed at establishing a legal and institutional framework for increased cooperation in space science, earth observation and space exploration. This in addition to data transfer of space-related technology, intellectual property, sharing facility and exchanges of personnel. State-run agencies that will be involved include the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, KAIST, the Korea Meteorological Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA.

Korea's science ministry expects the agreement will boost the country's moon and space exploration efforts and result in the creation of a home-grown rocket and more satellites. The ministry plans to start pumping in roughly 160-million U.S. dollars into the project over the next three years.

This is the first time the U.S. has agreed to a government-to-government deal on space cooperation with an Asian nation. So far, the U.S. has sealed similar agreements with ten countries including Russia, Canada, and France.

Related talks began in 2010, but only gained momentum after a summit between President Park Geun-hye and her U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, October 2015. In 2013, Korea became the eleventh country to join the space club after it successfully launched its NARO satellite into space.