KISTEP

KISTEP (Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning) is a South Korean government research institute founded in 1999, headquartered in Sejong City, that operates under the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT). KISTEP evaluates and plans national R&D budgets across all science and technology domains including space, providing data-driven recommendations that shape funding for major programs such as the Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV/Nuri), KOMPSAT Earth observation satellites, and the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (Danuri). The institute conducts foresight studies, technology assessment (TA), and program evaluation to guide Korea's strategic science priorities. KISTEP played a significant role in developing Korea's 2045 Space Economy Roadmap, which aims to grow the domestic space industry to global top-5 status and establish lunar and interplanetary exploration capabilities. Its evaluations directly influence annual government R&D appropriations — Korea's space budget crossed 700 billion KRW (~$530M) by the mid-2020s, with KISTEP analysis supporting the allocation across KARI, ETRI, and university programs.