Currently a researcher at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the 30-year-old will go into space with two Russian cosmonauts on a Soyuz spacecraft in April 2008, and spend seven to eight days orbiting the Earth on the International Space Station, the agency quoted the South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology as saying.
Ko San was chosen over nanotechnology engineer Yi So-yeon, after receiving slightly higher marks in the extensive training and preparation program in South Korea and Russia. Yi So-yeon will complete her training, and will replace Ko San if he is unable to participate in the mission. The two candidates were chosen from an initial list of over 36,000 candidates.
During his time on the International Space Station, Ko San will take part in a number of experiments, including research into the effect of weightlessness in space.
The contract to launch South Korea's first astronaut into the heavens was concluded between Russia's Federal Space Agency and the South Korean national space agency. The total cost of the flight is expected to reach at least $20 million.
