The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology held a symposium Tuesday on strategies to promote space development.

Speaking at the meeting, Jang Young-keun, the head of the space program at the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, said it is possible the nation could launch an orbital spacecraft to the moon by 2018 and land a spaceship on the moon by 2020.

To that end, Jang is calling for the nation to begin acquiring core technologies and engaging in research projects next year. He also called for the establishment of a space agency, similar to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to promote international cooperation.

Scientist Lee Sang-yul, from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, proposed a goal of collecting a sample from the moon’s crust with a small satellite saying it would serve as a driving force in advancing Korean aerospace technologies.

Meanwhile, South Korea is planning to participate in the International Lunar Network, an association dedicated to the exploration of the lunar environment and its resources, led by NASA.