Boryung and KARI forge partnership to advance Korea’s space ambitions

Boryung Inc. and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enhance Korea's space research foundation and develop advanced space exploration capabilities. The agreement was finalized at the 45th Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Assembly held at BEXCO in Busan from last Saturday to July 21.

The signing ceremony, held at KARI’s exhibition booth, saw the participation of Boryung CEO and President Kim Jung-kyun and KARI President Lee Sang-ryul. Under the accord, the two parties aim to activate testing and research in the Korean space environment and jointly identify and promote various cooperation projects to advance the national space industry.

Key areas of focus for this partnership include the sharing of space test facilities and research experiences, low Earth orbit and deep space exploration, and the utilization of space stations. Boryung and KARI will work together to establish a robust cooperation framework in these domains.

Boryung has been proactive in the space sector, annually running the “Humans In Space” program and forming partnerships with global space medicine companies, institutions, and experts. The company also invests in startups and researchers developing critical technologies for space exploration.

“This agreement marks an important milestone for our country to actively engage with space environments and energize our space industry,” Kim said. “We hope this will be the launchpad for Korea’s expanded activities in low Earth orbit and contribute to securing our space sovereignty.”

Lee also highlighted the alignment of goals between KARI and Boryung and said, “With KARI’s accumulated technology and experience, we are excited to partner with Boryung, a newcomer in the space industry, to contribute to the development of the national space economy.”

Space Economy is defined by OECD as the full range of activities and the use of resources that create value and benefits to human beings in the course of exploring, researching, understanding, managing, and utilizing space

Meanwhile, during the COSPAR Assembly, Boryung also announced its plans to leverage its extensive experience in drug development and disease treatment to support long-duration human space missions.

Kim emphasized the importance of self-care in space as opportunities for space travel increase and highlighted Boryung’s efforts to create an ecosystem for research on long-term space habitation effects.

As part of their commitment to fostering the next generation of space explorers, Boryung announced plans to send artwork from a children’s space-themed art competition to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Space’s upcoming Ax Mission.