South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Goddard Space Flight Center Director Christopher Scolese are greeted by Frank Cepollina, associate director of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office, and Benjamin Reed, deputy project manager of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office. Credit: NASA/Rebecca Roth

WASHINGTON — The president of South Korea visited NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on Wednesday  morning in an effort to build up space partnerships with the United States.

President Park Geun-hye, on a four-day trip to the U.S., visited the Greenbelt, Maryland-based NASA center, where she said she hoped the two countries could cooperate more closely in space exploration. South Korea has plans for lunar missions of its own within the next decade.

Park’s visit included a videoconference with astronauts on the International Space Station.

As part of her visit to the United States, President Park Geun-hye of South Korea visited NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. on Oct. 14, 2015. The visit offered an opportunity to celebrate past collaborative efforts between the American and South Korean space programs along with presentations on current projects and programs underway at Goddard. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
Goddard Space Flight Center Director Chris Scolese and Yumi Hogan, wife of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, were joined by NASA astronauts Scott Altman and Cady Coleman to welcome South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Oct. 14, 2015. The visit offered an opportunity to celebrate past collaborative efforts between the American and South Korean space programs along with presentations on current projects and programs underway at Goddard. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
Goddard Space Flight Center Director Chris Scolese and Yumi Hogan, wife of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, were joined by NASA astronauts Scott Altman and Cady Coleman to welcome South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Oct. 14, 2015. The visit offered an opportunity to celebrate past collaborative efforts between the American and South Korean space programs along with presentations on current projects and programs underway at Goddard. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
President Park Geun-hye of South Korea is greeted by Center Director Christopher Scolese upon her arrival to Goddard Space Flight Center on Oct. 14, 2015. Joining in the welcoming were NASA Astronauts Scott Altman and Cady Coleman along with Mrs. Yumi Hogan, First Lady of Maryland. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
South Korean President Park Geun-hye is greeted by Center Director Christopher Scolese upon her arrival to Goddard Space Flight Center on Oct. 14, 2015. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
South Korean President Park watches a message sent down from Astronaut Scott Kelly aboard the International Space Station. Kelly who is a little more than halfway thru a year-long stay on ISS welcomed Madam Park to NASA Goddard. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
South Korean President Park watches a message sent down from Astronaut Scott Kelly aboard the International Space Station. Kelly who is a little more than halfway thru a year-long stay on ISS welcomed Madam Park to NASA Goddard. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
Benjamin Reed, deputy project Manager of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office, presents Goddard's robotic capabilities to South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
Benjamin Reed, deputy project Manager of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office, presents Goddard’s robotic capabilities to South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk
Benjamin Reed, deputy project Manager of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office, presents Goddard’s robotic capabilities to South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk Credit: NASA/Goddard/Bill Hrybyk

[spacenews-ad]