The government will conduct an initial physical examination on over ten-thousand astronaut hopefuls who have passed the first screening.

The Ministry of Science and Technology and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said that, on Saturday, the applicants will take part in a three-point-five kilometer race in six major cities, including Seoul.

Males must finish the course within 23 minutes and females 28 minutes to pass.

Among those who make the cut, three-hundred will be selected by mid-October after additional written examinations and physical fitness tests.

Only one candidate will be able to board the Russian Soyuz spacecraft in April 2008 heading for the International Space Station to conduct experiments.