Two Korean astronaut finalists competing to become the nation’s first to travel in space have begun training sessions in Korea.

One of the two will be chosen early next month to board the Russian Soyuz spacecraft and travel to the International Space Station orbiting the earth in April 2008.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said Monday that the two candidates, Yi Soyeon and Go San, will leave for Russia on August 26th after undergoing a two-week training program at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) until August 24th.

The training program will consist of theoretical studies and scientific experiments to be performed aboard the space station next April.

The results of the domestic training will account for ten percent of the total scores the two will receive before the final selection.