This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7335874.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
S Korean astronaut set for launch First S Korean in space launches
(about 7 hours later)
South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-yeon, is set to blast off for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz rocket carrying South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-yeon, has launched successfully on its voyage to the International Space Station (ISS).
Ms Yi and two Russian cosmonauts will take off at 1116GMT from Kazakhstan's Baikonur centre. Ms Yi and two Russian cosmonauts blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur space centre at 1116 GMT.
The 29-year-old engineer will spend about 10 days in space and conduct a series of scientific tests. The 29-year-old bio-engineer will spend about 10 days in space and conduct a series of scientific tests.
The launch will make South Korea the sixth Asian country to put an astronaut in space. The launch makes South Korea the eighth Asian country to put an astronaut in space.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) said final preparations were going well. Before the launch, Ms Yi had boarded the rocket flashing a thumbs-up and saying she felt "great".
"Yi is in good health and we expect a successful launch of the rocket," President Paik Hong-yul said.
'Wow''Wow'
Ms Yi was chosen from about 36,000 applicants for the mission, which is costing South Korea about $20m (£10m).Ms Yi was chosen from about 36,000 applicants for the mission, which is costing South Korea about $20m (£10m).
Initially the back-up astronaut, she was moved up after Russian officials said the first-choice, 31-year-old Ko San, had broken space centre rules.Initially the back-up astronaut, she was moved up after Russian officials said the first-choice, 31-year-old Ko San, had broken space centre rules.
She will fly on a Russian Soyuz TMA-12 rocket alongside flight engineer Oleg Kononenko, 43, and Sergei Volkov, 34, the son of a famous Soviet cosmonaut. She is flying in a Russian Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft alongside flight engineer Oleg Kononenko, 43, and Sergei Volkov, 34, the son of a famous Soviet cosmonaut.
At a news conference on Monday, journalists asked Ms Yi what she would do when she arrived at the ISS.At a news conference on Monday, journalists asked Ms Yi what she would do when she arrived at the ISS.
"I guess first of all I am going to shout: 'Wow!'," she replied."I guess first of all I am going to shout: 'Wow!'," she replied.
She hoped that her space flight would help ease ties between the two Koreas. She hoped that her spaceflight would help ease ties between the two Koreas.
"I hope someday they will be one, and I hope the North Korean people will be happy with my flight," she said."I hope someday they will be one, and I hope the North Korean people will be happy with my flight," she said.
The first Asian astronaut (or cosmonaut) was Vietnam's Pham Tuan, who travelled on a Soviet Soyuz mission in 1980.
Since then, citizens of Mongolia, Afghanistan, Japan, Kazakhstan, China and Malaysia have also journeyed into space.
Ms Yi is scheduled to return to Earth on 19 April with the outgoing crew of the ISS.Ms Yi is scheduled to return to Earth on 19 April with the outgoing crew of the ISS.