Korea’s first aerospace museum, Sacheon Aerospace Museum

South Korea's first aerospace museum, the "Sacheon Aerospace & Science Museum," recently achieved success with the launch of Nuriho-3. This makes South Korea the seventh country capable of launching satellites independently, without the assistance of other nations, adding significant depth to its meaning.

The concept of space industries, which once seemed like something from a very distant future, might not be as distant as we once thought. If you're curious about space and its history, I recommend visiting the Sacheon Aerospace & Science Museum.

Sacheon City serves as a hub for advanced aerospace industries. Established in 1999 as part of national aerospace industry policy, the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) takes responsibility for South Korea's national security and aviation power. They have actively expanded their operations in the field of space, even contributing to the complete assembly of Nuriho-3, a South Korean launch vehicle.

The Sacheon Aerospace & Science Museum is the first space museum in South Korea. It allows you to explore the efforts of Sacheon City and the aerospace science data related to South Korea's national defense. To convey the correct history of the Korean War and national security and to present the technology and vision of the 21st-century advanced aerospace industry, it was established on a vast 46,281 square meters (about 14,000 pyeong) site in Sacheon City's Sanam-myeon.

I recommend that you first purchase an admission ticket at the ticket booth and take a look at the small booklet they provide. The Sacheon Aerospace & Science Museum is divided into three main areas: an outdoor exhibition area, an aerospace and space exhibit area, and a Free Homeland Defense exhibit area.

Once you pass the ticket booth, you enter the spacious outdoor exhibition area covering approximately 1,008 square meters (about 305 pyeong). Here, you can see various aircraft such as combat planes, passenger planes, transport planes, and bombers that you may not have seen before. The most prominent one is the presidential plane, referred to as "Codewon." You can enter inside to see models depicting the different presidential planes used over the years.

There are also several tanks on display, including the MK5 Centurion tank used by the British Army during the Korean War, American M-34 tanks, and a model of the North Korean T-34 tank.

In addition to aircraft, helicopters, and transport planes are on display, some of which you can enter and explore. You can even see the interior of control rooms and experience simulated combat and training, making the visit both fun and educational.

Inside the museum, there are three sections: the aerospace and space exhibit area, the Free Homeland Defense exhibit area, and the astronaut photo zone.

In the aerospace and space exhibit area, you can learn about the development of aerospace science in South Korea and see various aircraft up close, while the Free Homeland Defense exhibit area displays weapons such as rifles, machine guns, and pistols related to the Korean War, as well as essential items from North Korea and the attire and equipment of Chinese and UN forces. You can get a sense of what life was like during that time by looking at photographs.

June is the month of patriotic remembrance in South Korea. If you're looking for a meaningful weekend outing with your family or loved ones, I suggest a visit to the Sacheon Aerospace & Science Museum. It's a place where you can learn and feel a lot.

Visitor Information for the Sacheon Aerospace & Science Museum:

- Address: 78 Gongdan 1-ro, Saman-myeon, Sacheon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
- Admission Fee: Adults - 3,000 KRW | Teenagers & Children - 2,000 KRW | Seniors (65 and above) - 2,000 KRW
- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (March to October) | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (November to February)
- Open all year round (except during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays)
- Cultural and Tourism Explanation: 1st Session (10:30 AM), 2nd Session (2:00 PM), 3rd Session (3:00 PM), 4th Session (4:00 PM)
- Inquiry: 055-851-6565