Gyeongnam Residents "Can No Longer Tolerate the Aerospace Agency Special Act Being Stalled"

Governor, Provincial Council Chairman, Sacheon Mayor, and Over 5,000 Participants Rally

Residents of Gyeongnam Province are deeply frustrated with the stalled progress of establishing the Space and Aviation Agency due to repeated disruptions in the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee.

The Pan-Gyeongnam Promotion Committee for the Establishment of the Space and Aviation Agency held a provincial rally on the 3rd at Samcheonpo Bridge Park in Sacheon City, calling for the passage of the "Special Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Space and Aviation Agency" in the National Assembly and the installation of the agency in Sacheon.

The event also included a progress report related to the establishment of the Space and Aviation Agency, reading of a petition, and chanting of slogans.

Residents of Gyeongnam Province are urging the prompt passage of the Special Act for the Space and Aviation Administration.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

According to Gyeongnam Province, about 5,000 people attended the rally, including Governor Park Wan-su, Choi Hyung-doo, Chairman of the People Power Party Gyeongnam Provincial Party, National Assembly member Ha Young-je, Kim Jin-bu, Chairman of the Provincial Council, Park Dong-sik, Mayor of Sacheon, Jo Gyu-il, Mayor of Jinju, and Yoon Hyung-geun, Chairman of Sacheon City Council.

The so-called Space and Aviation Agency Special Act, submitted in April, has not been discussed due to repeated absences of opposition party members and conflicts between ruling and opposition parties over the agency's opening.

There are growing concerns that the originally planned opening within this year is now in jeopardy as the responsible ministries and political parties have been at an impasse for months.

Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province is explaining the necessity of establishing the Aerospace Agency in Sacheon.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

At the rally, Governor Park said, “To realize the national space economy vision, the center of the space industry must be Gyeongnam, and the Space and Aviation Agency must be promptly established in Sacheon. The selfish opposition by some public institutions or politicians is unforgivable.”

He added, “From this moment on, groups opposing the establishment of the Space and Aviation Agency are forces blocking national development and sinners of history. The ruling and opposition parties say they will review the special act before Chuseok, but if it is further delayed, the 3.3 million residents of Gyeongnam will never stand by silently.”

Choi Hyo-seok, Chairman of the Gyeongnam Residents Association in Seoul, said, “We could no longer watch the delay in establishing the Space and Aviation Agency, so we formed the promotion committee. Gyeongnam natives will actively support until the special act passes the National Assembly.”

Kwon Soon-ki, President of Gyeongsang National University, stated, “To realize Gyeongnam’s dream of becoming a space powerhouse, the passage of the special act must not be further delayed.”

Kim Jin-bu, Chairman of the Provincial Council, emphasized, “This critical national issue should not become a subject of political strife or a victim of regional selfishness.”

Park Dong-sik, Mayor of Sacheon, said, “The Space and Aviation Agency will serve as the control tower leading the development of the domestic space industry. We urge the swift establishment of the agency.”

Earlier, on August 27, when the full meeting of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee was held, residents held a rally in front of the National Assembly building, urging the enactment of the special act for the establishment of the Space and Aviation Agency and issued a statement.

The residents shouted, “Do not make the Space and Aviation Agency a subject of political strife and compromise,” and “Pass the Space and Aviation Agency Special Act immediately.”

On the same day, Governor Park attended the full committee meeting and reiterated his request for the prompt passage of the special act on the establishment and operation of the Space and Aviation Agency.