K-pop group BIGBANG will serve as honorary ambassador for South Korea's push to become a leading space and aviation power.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration announced Friday that it has appointed BIGBANG as its inaugural honorary ambassador to broaden public interest in and support for South Korea's space and aviation sector.
In the role, BIGBANG will introduce KASA's vision and key policies and projects to the public in an accessible way, and help strengthen communication between the agency and citizens on aerospace matters.
The group is set to carry out a range of public engagement activities around major upcoming projects — including the fifth launch of the Nuri rocket, scheduled for the second half of this year — as well as lunar exploration missions, to encourage public participation and enthusiasm.
KASA and BIGBANG will also jointly pursue what the agency calls a "Dream Capsule Project," in which the public's dreams and messages of support will be loaded aboard the Nuri rocket and sent into space. Through the initiative, KASA aims to expand aerospace from a specialist-driven field into one that all citizens can take part in.
"We are deeply honored to join as inaugural ambassadors at this new chapter in South Korea's aerospace history," BIGBANG said in a statement.
KASA chief Oh Tae-seok said the agency selected BIGBANG "to build new challenges in South Korea's aerospace sector together with the public," adding that it would "continue to expand public attention and participation in aerospace through a wide range of communications activities."
nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com
