• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.119-152
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• 2009

Korea now has a rapidly expanding and developing space programme with exploration aspirations. The government is giving priority to the aerospace industry and, to put it on a better footing, enacted an Aerospace Industry Development Promotion Act in I987, a Space Development Promotion Act in 2005 and a Space Compensation for Damage Act in 2007. I would like to describe briefly the legislative history, main contents and comment for these three space acts including especially launch licensing, registration of space objects, use of satellite information, astronaut rescue, liability for compensation, third party liability insurance and establishment of committee and plans to assist the Korean space effort. Furthermore author proposed to legislate a new draft for the establishment of a Korean Aerospace Development Agency (KADA: tentative title) to create a similar body to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), British National Space Centre (BNSC) of UK, French Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), German Aerospace Center (DLR), Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as well as the Korean Space Agency (KSA: Tentative title) to create a similar body to Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Russian Space Agency, Italian Space Agency, Israel Space Agency, Indian Department of Space, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of USA, China National Space Administration in order to develope efficiently space industry. If the Korean government will be establish the Korean Space Agency as an governmental organization in future, it is necessary to revise the contents of the Government Organization Act. It is desirable and necessary for us to establish an Asian Space Agency (ASA), in order to develop our space industry and to promote research cooperation among Asian countries, based on oriental idea and creative powers.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.17
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• pp.163-174
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• 2003

The space center will be constructed by 2005 for launch of KSLV-I at Woinara-Do, Haban Village, Yenae-Ri, Bongrae-Myon, Kohung-Goon, Junlanam Province on the southern coast of the Korean peninsular. This will make Korea be the 13th advanced country in space development having launching site in the world. This paper presents licensing and safety requirements to protect the public from the risks associated with activities at a launch site.

• Satellite Communications and Space Industry
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.83-92
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• 1994

Outer Space is existing as the opening-up frontier. The space activities included benefit-and-risk are now confronted with the challenge of arriving at just and effective rules for the use of space serving many technical, practical and conflicting legal, economic, political and military interests. Therefore many governments have developed domestic and international policies to respond to the opportunities and constraints engendered by space exploration and exploitation. the challenges of outer space toward the 21st century are being internationalized, commercialized, and privatized, militarized through the international cooperation and competition in space activities. For the future of mankind, futhermore the right to live of humankind, we must be positively interested in international space law which may give rise to international repercussions. I suggeste that many issues be resolved by international coordinating organization.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.97-158
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• 2010

The purpose of this paper is to research on the contents and improvement of national legislations relating to space development in Korea to make the sustainable progress of space development project in Korea. Korea has launched its first satellite KITST-1 in 1992. The National Space Committee has established "The Space Development Promotion Basic Plan" in 2007. The plan addressed the development of total 13 satellites by 2010 and the space launch vehicle by 2020, and the launch of moon exploration spaceship by 2021. Korea has built the space center at Oinarodo, Goheng Province in June 2009. In Korea the first small launch vehicle KSLV-1 was launched at the Naro Space Center in August 2009, and its second launch was made in June 2010. The United Nations has adopted five treaties relating to the development of outer space as follows : The Outer Space Treaty of 1967, the Rescue and Return Agreement of 1968, the Liability Convention of 1972, the Registration Convention of 1974, and the Moon Treaty of 1979. All five treaties has come into force. Korea has ratified the Outer Space Treaty, the Rescue and Return Agreement, the Liability Convention and the Registration Convention excepting the Moon Treaty. Most of development countries have enacted the national legislation relating to the development of our space as follows : The National Aeronautic and Space Act of 1958 and the Commercial Space Act of 1998 in the United States, Outer Space Act of 1986 in England, Establishment Act of National Space Center of 1961 in France, Canadian Space Agency Act of 1990 in Canada, Space Basic Act of 2008 in Japan, and Law on Space Activity of 1993 in Russia. There are currently three national legislations relating to space development in Korea as follows : Aerospace Industry Development Promotion Act of 1987, Outer Space Development Promotion Act of 2005, Outer Space Damage Compensation Act of 2008. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy of Korea has announced the Full Amendment Draft of Aerospace Industry Development Promotion Act in December 2009, and it's main contents are as follows : (1) Changing the title of Act into Aerospace Industry Promotion Act, (2) Newly regulating the definition of air flight test place, etc., (3) Establishment of aerospace industry basic plan, establishment of aerospace industry committee, (4) Project for promoting aerospace industry, (5) Exploration development, international joint development, (6) Cooperative research development, (7) Mutual benefit project, (8) Project for furthering basis of aerospace industry, (9) Activating cluster of aerospace industry, (10) Designation of air flight test place, etc., (11) Abolishing the designation and assistance of specific enterprise, (12) Abolishing the inspection of performance and quality. The Outer Space Development Promotion Act should be revised with regard to the following matters : (1) Overlapping problem in legal system between the Outer Space Development Promotion Act and the Aerospace industry Development promotion Act, (2) Distribution and adjustment problem of the national research development budget for space development between National Space Committee and National Science Technology Committee, (3) Consideration and preservation of environment in space development, (4) Taking the legal action and maintaining the legal system for policy and regulation relating to space development. The Outer Space Damage Compensation Act should be revised with regard to the following matters : (1) Definition of space damage and indirect damage, (2) Currency unit of limit of compensation liability, (3) Joint liability and compensation claim right of launching person of space object, (4) Establishment of Space Damage Compensation Council. In Korea, it will be possible to make a space tourism in 2013, and it is planned to introduce and operate a manned spaceship in 2013. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the policy relating to the promotion of commercial space transportation industry. Also it is necessary to make the proper maintenance of the current Aviation Law and space development-related laws and regulations for the promotion of space transportation industry in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Air & Space Law and Policy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.163-186
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• 2009

The missile technology and its development in south Korea have been restrained to the limit of 180 km by America which instead provided to Korea with security protection. In the same vein, America pressured South Korea to abort its nuclear weapons program so as to prevent another possible military encounter that can easily develop into a war between South and North Korea. This restraint was a bit relaxed when South Korea joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2001 whereby the limit was 300 km. The situation of South Korea is in much contrast with its neighbor, North Korea, which has fired Taepo Dong 1 and Taepo Dong 2 to put its alleged satellite respectively into the Earth orbit. The range of this rocket believed to be reaching more than 5,500 km, a range of the intercontinental ballistic missile, without any rein. South Korea that has just geared its full powers for its outer space industry, with the current space projects of putting its satellites into the low Earth orbit, will in future put its satellite into the geostationary orbit, 36,000 km above the Earth. To do so, such restraint had better be resolved. Korean space industry, as it is alike in other countries, started with putting and manufacturing sounding rockets, producing satellites but relying on foreign launching facilities, and learning launching capacities. Experiencing three time launchings of KITSAT, the current satellite projects of Korea are undertaken as follows: - Koreasat - STSAT - Komsat - MBSAT - COMS (Communication, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite) Koreans waked up to the things of outer space in 2008 with the first Korean astronaut Li So-yeon, a lady bio systems engineer. Although the first Korean made rocket in cooperation with a Russian company to fire last August 2009 was a failure, it should be considered as an inevitable process for future endeavors. There are currently three outer space related laws of Korea: Aerospace Industry Development Promotion Act 1987, Outer Space Development Promotions Act 2005, and Space Damage Compensation Act 2008. The first two stemming from the two different ministries are, however, overlapping in many aspects and have some shortcomings to be improved.