The solid-fuel second stage was built by KARI, the national space agency of South Korea, and Korean Air.

A. Medvedev, Director General to Republic of Korea, a contract was signed to design and build a Space Rocket Complex for the small-lift launch vehicle KSLV-1.

As the prerequisite to signing the contract South Korea joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

All documentation was reviewed by the Russian Space Agency (RSA), and the joint project to build the Korean rocket complex was approved.

[12] The total cost of the first three launches was over 500 billion won (US$450 million), raising concerns among the Korean populace about the value of the Naro space program.

[13] Republic of Korea efforts to build an indigenous space launch vehicle is hindered due to persistent political pressure of the United States, who had for many decades hindered South Korea's indigenous rocket and missile development programs[14] in fear of their possible connection to clandestine military ballistic missile programs.

[15] South Korea has sought the assistance of foreign countries such as Russia through MTCR commitments to supplement its restricted domestic rocket technology.

The added weight of the remaining fairing caused the rocket to tumble upwards[27] and to be thrown off its nominal course, soaring 20 kilometres (12 mi) above the planned altitude before falling down.

[27] The Government of the Republic of Korea officially approved the launch of the KSLV in June 2009, which was expected to send the STSAT-2A satellite into orbit.

[3] Ahn Byung-man, Minister of Science and Technology, told reporters that the rocket was believed to have exploded in midair.

[40] While the immediate cause of the leak was a damaged rubber seal further investigation into the failure revealed a defective adapter bloc linking the rocket to the port.

[41][42] While no cause for the failure of the second launch has officially been declared, changes to the third launch were to include eliminating the flight termination system on the second stage (built by Republic of Korea KARI), and changes to the system on the first stage (supplied by Russia).

[44][failed verification] Shortly after the mishap with the second launch attempt, South Korea had announced the third flight would take place in 2011.