Russian Soyuz TMA-12 launches first South Korean astronaut

William Atkins
Tuesday, 08 April 2008 19:22

Science - Space

With the launch of Yi So-yeon, South Korea becomes the 36th country to launch one of its citizens into space.

As the first Korean to fly in space (and the first female Korean), Yi So-yeon is also only the second Asian women to reach outer space.

In addition, only the United Kingdom, besides South Korea, flew a woman into space as its first astronaut.

Yi So-yeon (also written Lee Soyeon) is a biotech researcher. As a biomechanical engineer (an expert in robotics and artificial intelligence), she works at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

She graduated from Gwangju Science High School. Yi So-yeon went on to major in mechanics (both bachelor's and master's degrees) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Daejeon).

Yi So-yeon received her doctorate degree in biotech systems, being conferred the degree on February 29, 2008, while training for her historic mission.

The space agency for the Republic of Korea (South Korea) is called the Korea Aeroapce Research Institute (KARI).