The government plans to spend about three-point-six trillion won over the next decade to secure its own satellite and rocket technologies. That's about three-point-nine billion U.S. dollars.

The national space committee approved a ten-year space development plan Wednesday that includes such spending targets that were deliberated on at the committee's second meeting.

Under the scheme, the government plans to build and operate five new satellites including multipurpose ones by 2012.

The government will also continue to support the ongoing project to build the two-stage Korea Space Launch Vehicle-One. The launcher rocket will take off from the Naro Space Center now under construction in Goheung, South Jeolla Province late next year.

The government has also approved programs for basic research on space exploration, with a view to pursuing space exploration projects in the mid- and long-term using domestically developed satellites and rockets.