South Korea opens state space infrastructure and defense guarantees to private companies
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The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced a policy overhaul in South Korea that gives private space companies access to state-backed defense mutual aid services.
This move allows commercial rocket developers to use financial guarantees and risk-sharing mechanisms previously reserved for the defense sector. KASA worked with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to change the Defense Industry Development and Support Act in July 2026.
These changes let private operators use the Defense Industry Mutual Aid Association to secure surety and guarantee services. This shift helps companies lower the costs of performance bonds and flight testing liabilities while helping to build a domestic space insurance market. The agency also released new guidelines to open the state-run Naro Space Center in Goheung to private launch operators.
By providing access to this domestic facility, the government aims to reduce the need for companies to use expensive overseas spaceports. KASA also secured a new location for a Korea Positioning System (KPS) ground control center to keep the project on schedule. KASA plans to create more public-private procurement rules through 2027. These future regulations will help move space technologies developed by the government into the hands of commercial operators.
