Yi So-yeon

Yi So-yeon, born on June second, nineteen seventy-eight, in Gwangju, South Korea, is a pioneering astronaut and biotechnologist. She made history as the first South Korean to travel into space, a remarkable achievement that has inspired many in her home country.

After completing her education at KAIST with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Yi was selected as one of two finalists in the Korean Astronaut Program in two thousand six. Initially announced as a backup astronaut, she was later promoted to the primary astronaut role on March tenth, two thousand eight. On April eighth of the same year, she launched into space alongside two Russian cosmonauts, spending approximately eleven days in orbit before returning to Earth on April nineteenth.

Following her historic spaceflight, Yi continued her career as a researcher at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). She furthered her education at the International Space University and later pursued an MBA at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business. Her journey then took her to Washington, where she shared her knowledge as a lecturer at Everett Community College and the University of Washington.