The international community has certified Korea as a developed country, consolidating its position as an economic powerhouse. In July 2021, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) upgraded Korea from a developing country to a developed country, 56 years after it joined the organization. This makes it the first country to move from developing to developed status since the founding of the UNCTAD in 1964. It reflects the country’s elevated standing, boosted by its economic growth and participation in the G7 Summit. With the addition of Korea, the group of developed countries currently comprises 32 countries, including the US, Germany, the UK, and Japan.
Korea also successfully launched the Nuri space rocket, which puts the country among the leaders in the space sector. A launch vehicle developed with Korean technologies, Nuri reached an altitude of 700 km on June 21, 2022. Korea’s second attempt at launching a rocket into orbit succeeded, after the first attempt failed in October 2021. This achievement demonstrated the country‘s independent space transportation capabilities and earned recognition from the global community. With the successful launch of Nuri, Korea became the seventh country with the capability to launch a commercial satellite weighing a ton or more joining the ranks of the US, Russia, the EU, Japan, China, and India.
On August 5, 2022, Korea launched its first lunar orbiter, Danuri, making it the seventh country send an exploration mission to the Moon, following Russia, the US, China, Japan, the EU, and India. With Danuri, Korea became the seventh country to do so.
Korea ranked 7th in the number of space technology patent applications filed between 1990 and 2020. According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the US topped the list with 6,226 applications, followed by China, France, Japan, Russia, and Germany, and Korea came in seventh with 840 applications.
Korea also successfully launched the Nuri space rocket, which puts the country among the leaders in the space sector. A launch vehicle developed with Korean technologies, Nuri reached an altitude of 700 km on June 21, 2022. Korea’s second attempt at launching a rocket into orbit succeeded, after the first attempt failed in October 2021. This achievement demonstrated the country‘s independent space transportation capabilities and earned recognition from the global community. With the successful launch of Nuri, Korea became the seventh country with the capability to launch a commercial satellite weighing a ton or more joining the ranks of the US, Russia, the EU, Japan, China, and India.
Launch of the KoreanSpace Rocket, Nuri
With the successful launch of Nuri in June 2022, Korea has secured its own space transportation capability and is fully equipped with independent national space development capabilities.
On August 5, 2022, Korea launched its first lunar orbiter, Danuri, making it the seventh country send an exploration mission to the Moon, following Russia, the US, China, Japan, the EU, and India. With Danuri, Korea became the seventh country to do so.
Korea ranked 7th in the number of space technology patent applications filed between 1990 and 2020. According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the US topped the list with 6,226 applications, followed by China, France, Japan, Russia, and Germany, and Korea came in seventh with 840 applications.
