The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced Sunday it would invite bids from local governments until August 6 to host the facility, which is intended to support more than 10 reusable-rocket launches a year from the mid-to-late 2030s.
The agency aims to complete the second center by 2034 on a site of about 5.6 million square meters, comparable in scale to the existing Naro Space Center, equipped with launch, landing and maintenance facilities for reusable vehicles.
The push reflects mounting pressure on South Korea's lone launch site.
The agency said major spacefaring nations operate multiple spaceports to secure flexibility and industrial competitiveness, while South Korea relies solely on Naro, leaving its space-transport capacity thinly stretched.
KASA said it would screen the proposals and announce the winning site in October, followed by an application for a construction-stage research and development project in November.
"The second spaceport is core infrastructure for a qualitative leap in South Korea's space industry," KASA Administrator Oh Tae-seok said, pledging to build a new launch hub where the sector can grow freely on the back of active regional participation.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
