AIR & SPACE MAGAZINE Her Country’s First Yi So-yeon, a 29-year-old bioengineer from Gwangju, is the first Korean to reach space. April 9, 2008 Yi So-yeon, a 29-year-old bioengineer from Gwangju, is the first Korean to reach space. AirSpaceMag.com Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.