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Science and ICT Minister Lim Hye-sook holds an agreement signed between South Korea and the United States. (provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT)

South Korea has become the tenth country to sign the Artemis Accords, which lay out the principles for international cooperation on a new program for manned exploration of the Moon.

South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced on May 27 that it had signed the Artemis Accords with NASA. That makes Korea a party to a moon landing planned for 2024.

The Artemis Accords outline the principles that signatories must follow in exploring and utilizing the Moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids.

South Korea is currently working with NASA to develop the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, which is scheduled to launch in August 2022.

Korea is also taking part in a Commercial Lunar Payload Services program that uses lunar landers provided by US contractors.

By Kim Ji-eun, staff photographer

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