A Major Shift After 60 Years Since 1967
In December 2025, a historic agreement was reached at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. This is the ‘Geneva Space Resources Agreement (GSRA)’ – the strongest and most specific international space law created in approximately 60 years since the 1967 ‘Outer Space Treaty’.
The existing Outer Space Treaty stated that “space is the common heritage of humanity” and denied ownership by any specific country, but there were no clear regulations on whether private companies could own and sell extracted resources, causing confusion. This GSRA has established the fundamental principle that “while territorial claims over celestial bodies are not recognized, ownership of resources legally extracted through legitimate procedures is recognized.”
This has eliminated the biggest legal risk that was blocking space resource development. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who attended the signing ceremony, welcomed the agreement on Twitter (X), saying “The road to Mars is paved.”
Why Is Everyone Targeting the Lunar South Pole?
The catalyst for this treaty was the Lunar South Pole. Recent exploration results have confirmed that massive amounts of ice (water) are buried in the permanently shadowed craters of the Lunar South Pole.
Water is more than just drinking water – through electrolysis, it can produce hydrogen and oxygen. This means rocket fuel can be sourced locally on the Moon (ISRU). This can reduce costs by tens to hundreds of times compared to escaping Earth’s gravity while carrying fuel, becoming the key to making the Moon a forward base for deep space exploration.
Additionally, Helium-3, considered a future clean energy source, is also abundantly buried on the lunar surface. Just 1 ton of Helium-3 has enough efficiency to produce electricity for all of South Korea for an entire year. With the GSRA signing, the ‘invisible war’ to secure these resources has surfaced.
Artemis vs ILRS: Space Becoming Bloc-ified
The space powers are reorganizing rapidly. The US-led ‘Artemis Accords’ camp (Korea, Japan, EU, Canada, Australia, etc.) and the China-Russia-centered ‘International Lunar Research Station (ILRS)’ camp are emerging as two major blocs.
This is reminiscent of the US-Soviet space race of the 20th century Cold War era, but there’s a crucial difference. Now, the private sector has become the main player. SpaceX’s Starship, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon, and even Japan’s ispace are participating in this race.
Korea’s position is also noteworthy. With the GSRA signing, Korea was classified in the ‘Group A’ (Primary Mining Rights Group) along with the US, EU, Japan, and India. This means that after successfully landing a Korean lunar probe, Korea could claim priority exploration rights for a specific area.
Korea’s Opportunities and Challenges
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) plans to launch the Korean Lunar Lander (KLM) by 2027. As a Group A country, Korea will gain the right to submit an ‘Intent to Mine’ application to the International Space Resources Authority (ISRA) immediately after successfully landing a probe.
However, challenges remain. Korea’s space budget is only about 1/30th of NASA’s, and there’s a shortage of specialized private companies. Establishing policies for nurturing space ventures like ‘Made in Korea Starship’ is urgent.
GSRA is not just an international treaty. It’s a new starting ticket to prove that ‘Space is a new arena where latecomers can leap forward.’ The space gold rush has begun. In this race, will Korea be a leader or a follower?
This content is part of VitalKorea Insight’s in-depth coverage of future trends.
