Ministry of Science and ICT, ‘Space Aviation Administration Special Act’ legislative notice
Recruitment of foreigners and multiple nationalities… Compensation beyond the regulations of civil servants
In June of last year, the second Nuri was launched from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. Provided by Korea Aerospace Research Institute
While giving administrative authority to lead Korea’s space development by establishing the Korea Aerospace Aviation Administration, a special law is being pushed forward that provides large-scale compensation for hiring private talent regardless of nationality. The government has set a goal of establishing a space agency within the year modeled following the Korean National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 2nd that it would make a legislative notice of the enactment of the ‘Special Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Space and Aviation Administration’, which will be the basis for the establishment of the Space and Aviation Administration.
According to the special law, functions such as aerospace-related technology development and industry support, which were individually performed by each ministry, such as the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, are unified into the space agency for consistent operation of aerospace policies. The special law created a separate headquarters within the space agency to take charge of research and development of aerospace and vitalization of the industry.
In addition, the chairman of the National Space Commission will be elevated from the prime minister to the president, and the head of the Korea Aerospace Administration will be added as a new member. At the same time, the director of the Korea Aerospace Administration also serves as the working-level chairperson. Currently, members of the Space Committee include the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Industry, and the Director of the National Intelligence Service. The Minister of Science and ICT is the Vice-Chairman.
In addition, in order for the Korea Aerospace Administration to operate the organization flexibly, it was possible to quickly create or dismantle the project organization of the ‘section’ unit according to technological and industrial changes. Originally, it took more than three months to establish an organization, but with this system, it is reduced to less than one week.
In particular, the space agency was allowed to hire more private experts beyond the government’s regulations that prevented them from exceeding 20% of all positions. The purpose is to increase professionalism. In this regard, in order to recruit top-notch private experts, exceptions to stock blind trusts were allowed, and foreigners and multiple nationalities were also allowed to appoint.
Talents hired in this way were able to pay salaries in excess of the remuneration level of civil servants. In addition, a basis has been prepared for the payment of technical fees generated by transferring technical achievements as compensation to researchers.
Minister of Science and ICT Lee Jong-ho said, “I hope that the best talent will flow into the space agency,” and “we will establish the space agency within this year so that it can leap forward as one of the 7 global space powers by 2045.” Until now, there has been no agreement between the ruling and opposition parties on the establishment of the Korea Aerospace Aviation Administration, and the government’s push for a special law is expected to speed up related discussions.
