The South Korean government is pushing to develop and support the space sector by establishing a space agency based on a special law that grants a degree of autonomy and flexibility the country’s public sector has never seen before.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced March 2 the advanced publication of legislation for the special law on the establishment and operation of the country’s new space agency.

The tentative name for the space agency is the Korea Space and Aeronautics Administration (KSAA).

Director General of the KSAA’s preparatory office, Choi Won-ho, stated that the unique legal measures for the new space body are aimed at recruiting talented space professionals. The special law puts no limit on the proportion of term-based public officials at the KSAA, unlike the Government Organization Act.

In theory, the space agency’s term-based public officials could have no cap on their salary, as the special law gives the KSAA’s head the authority to determine the level of wages depending on the importance and the role of each individual.

The hiring process will also be different for the space body. Unlike the current employment regulations that require open recruitment by notice, the KSAA will be able to scout talented professionals if deemed necessary. The KSAA will also be able to complete the administrative process for organizing teams and departments in a week or less, whereas the existing public regulation requires three months or longer to make organizational shifts within a public body.

The KSAA will have the authority to manage its own budget in a more flexible manner for swift research and development efforts, as long as it conducts prior consultations with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The government will also set up a space and aeronautics support fund to continuously carry out long-term investments.

The proposed act, composed of 19 articles, will set up a new governance system for the country’s space sector by bringing all space-related projects and policies from different ministries such as the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy into one decision-making body in the KSAA.

The advanced publication of legislation for the KSAA’s special law will last until March 17, during which anyone with a valid Korean phone number can submit opinions about the special law on the Ministry of Government Legislation’s website. The government plans to obtain the National Assembly’s approval in the first half of this year and establish the KSAA before the end of the year. Regarding concerns about the special law allowing the employment of foreigners and multinational holders at the KSAA, Choi dismissed the possibility of reckless hiring practices that could put the country’s national interest at risk.