Korea Overseas Information Service, South Korea and Russia signed an agreement Wednesday (April 19) to send South Korea's first astronaut into space in April 2008, a state-run institute said.
The agreement between the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and the Russian Space Agency calls for a Soyuz rocket to be launched carrying one astronaut from South Korea.
The announcement is the two countries' first confirmation of a target launch date for the maiden space journey for a Korean citizen.
The Ministry of Science and Technology said it has established an Internet website (www.woojuro.or.kr) that will start receiving applications on Friday for those wanting to become the country's first astronaut.
People can sign up until July 14, after which the government will conduct a multi-level screening process to check the mental and physical fitness of those that applied.
The screening process will involve a 3.5-kilometer running test, a foreign language proficiency examination and a medical checkup to determine if applicants are healthy enough to travel into orbit.
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