President Yoon Suk Yeol lauded the successful launch of the space rocket Nuri on Thursday as a "splendid feat" that marks the country's entry into the Group of Seven space powers.

The president made the remarks at the presidential office after receiving a video-linked briefing on the launch from science and ICT minister Lee Jong-ho.

Yoon said that there are only seven countries in the world that can put a homegrown satellite into orbit on a homegrown rocket, and South Korea is now one of them.

The president said that the world's perspective on South Korea's science and technology capabilities will change greatly, expecting more proposals from advanced countries to cooperate in space science and technology.

Yoon also noted that it is particularly meaningful that three of the eight satellites carried by the rocket were produced by South Korean startups.