[Provided by Hanwha]
[Provided by Hanwha]

Hanwha Group announced Monday it will hold an open conference for its youth space talent program, Ujuui Joyakdol — a space-science mentorship program for middle school students — on Aug. 29.

Ujuui Joyakdol is a joint program run by Hanwha Group and KAIST that selects 30 middle school students each year and provides them with space science education and opportunities to meet industry experts. The two organizations have run the program together for five years. "The public will be able to feel firsthand the efforts Hanwha has made to nurture space talent and build a space ecosystem," a Hanwha official said.

The open conference will feature science communicator Gwedo, Jeon Eun-ji, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at KAIST, author Jo Seung-yeon, astronomer Ji Ung-bae and industry analyst Jeong Eui-hun. Applications open Monday and run through Aug. 15. Further details are available on the official registration website.

As privately led space exploration — exemplified by SpaceX — gains momentum, Hanwha is pursuing a "Korean SpaceX" model in which domestic aerospace companies collaborate across launch vehicles, satellites and systems integration. The space industry increasingly demands a unified value-chain solution, and its growing ties to AI are driving a broader trend toward consolidation and scale.

Hanwha Group earlier announced plans to invest 55 trillion won ($38.2 billion) in the aerospace and AI industries by 2040, building an integrated space infrastructure spanning proprietary launch vehicles, satellite networks and defense AI. The group has also raised its stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to around 14 percent and formally designated the purpose of that holding as "participation in management."

"We have been able to carry on Ujuui Joyakdol for five years because of our belief that a Korean SpaceX ultimately comes from people, and through this open conference we want to share that belief with more people," a Hanwha Group official said. "South Korea can only produce a space company like SpaceX if the next generation has dreams of reaching space."


klee@heraldcorp.com