korean in spaaaaace!

South Korea launches its way into the final frontier. Yesterday, 29-year-old scientist Yi So-Yeon blasted off from a Russian cosmodrome to become the first Korean in space: Scientist Yi So Yeon becomes first Korean astronaut. The Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft carrying Yi and two Russian cosmonauts took off from the Baikonaur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, bound for the International Space Station. The launch makes South Korea the 37th nation to send a citizen into space. And with her, they sent kimchi:

The Korea Food Research Institute and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute have spent years turning traditional South Korean delicacies into a form that can be stored and eaten in zero gravity, including steamed rice, red pepper paste, doenjang fermented bean soup, green tea, red ginseng tea, instant noodles, sujeonggwa cinnamon punch and, above all, kimchi – the pungent pickled blend of cabbage, chilli and garlic that is the national dish.

Yi was actually the second in line to go. Last month, she replaced Ko San, who was removed from the mission because he repeatedly broke rules imposed by the Russian space authorities. According to the South Korean Government, he "accidentally" sent a pilot's training manual back to Seoul in a package of personal possessions. A few weeks later, he was caught with a spaceship control manual that, as an accompanying scientist, he had no right to read. And thus, Ms. Yi is now the one on that space shuttle.