Posted: Wed, Feb 11, 2004, 6:53 AM ET (1153 GMT)
South Korea will purchase a seat on a future Soyuz ISS mission for its first astronaut, Russian officials said Wednesday. South Korea and Russia have reached an agreement to fly an unnamed astronaut on a Soyuz flight no earlier than 2007. About ten candidates for the flight will be selected for the flight next year and begin training in Russia, after which one will be selected for the flight. The cost of the flight will be $13 million, with South Korea paying most of the costs. South Korea had previously considered flying an astronaut on a shuttle mission, Russian officials said, but decided after the Columbia accident last year to pursue the Soyuz option.

Related Links:

•  RIA Novosti article
•  Itar-Tass article