WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Wednesday visited the Goddard Space Flight Center, a major NASA space research lab in Washington, to seek wider bilateral cooperation in the space industry.

The visit, a rare schedule by a foreign leader, was viewed as her attempt to enhance the Korean space technology that still stands far behind other advanced nations.

Greeted by NASA experts and U.S. officials for space development, Park toured around the center and received a video message from Scott Kelly, commander of International Space Station, orbiting 400 kilometers above earth. She also attended a special session demonstrating new satellite-servicing technologies and techniques, including robotic refueling in the space.

Taking her visit as an opportunity, Park asked NASA to expand bilateral cooperation in space technology with South Korea.

"I hope this would be an opportunity for Korea and the U.S. to expand their cooperation in lunar probe and also other exploration projects to share space resources," said Park.

Park has been expressing her keen interest in space technology since before taking office in 2013. 

During her presidential campaign in 2012, she vowed to invest in space technology to help the country develop its first space exploration to moon five years earlier than originally planned. In 2013, Korea joined the global space club with a successful launch of a satellite into orbit in 2013. Currently, the country plans to develop a homegrown space rocket by 2020.

She was scheduled to visit the NASA headquarters in Houston in her original U.S. trip plan in June that was postponed due to the severe outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome this summer.

Before visiting NASA, Park started her official schedule earlier in the day by paying tribute to Korean War veterans, embarking on her mission to upgrade bilateral alliance with the U.S. amid growing concerns over a cozy relationship between Seoul and Beijing.

Park’s visit to the Korean War Veterans Memorial, a symbol of strong alliance between Korea and the U.S., came in light of speculation that Seoul is seeking a bigger partnership -- both economically and politically -- with Beijing.

The president arrived on Tuesday afternoon for a four-day trip seen as part of her efforts to quell speculations that Korea is seeking closer ties with China by alienating the U.S.

Upon her arrival at the Andrews Air Force Base, Park was greeted by three U.S. officials before heading to the Blair House, a state guesthouse near the White House. The list of officials included Peter Selfridge, United States Chief of Protocol, and Daniel Kritenbrink, National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs.

Her visit to China last month as the only leader from U.S.-allied countries, further stoked anxiety over the bilateral ties between Seoul and Washington. Park’s schedule which includes a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama and her first visit to Pentagon, in this respect, are expected to further highlight her will to demonstrate that the alliance between the two remains strong.

During her one-on-one meeting with Obama, Park is also expected to convince the U.S. president to bring his focus back on North Korea’s nuclear ambition.

Experts have been calling for her to increase international attention and pressure on the reclusive regime to halt its nuclear weapon development as well as its provocative actions.

On Thursday, Park is set to make her first visit to the Pentagon since her inauguration and to attend a luncheon hosted by Vice President Joe Biden at his residence. The president will also have a roundtable with economic leaders and a visit to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Separately from her geopolitical agendas, Park is expected to renew economic ties with the U.S. on the future industries. Later on Wednesday, she attended a forum on high-tech industry and a dinner session to commemorate the friendship between the two countries.

The visit is significant in economic aspects as well, as Park is seeking new economic partnership with the U.S. and is being accompanied by the largest number of business delegates. A total of 166 business tycoons arrived in Washington, triple the number of delegates who accompanied her during her first official trip in 2013.

Shifting the focus from traditional fields of business, Park is expected to expand the range of economic alliance to new industries -- such as engineering, bio and renewable energy.

By Cho Chung-un, Korea Herald correspondent (christory@heraldcorp.com)