VOA常速英语2008年-South Korea Will Send Woman Into Space

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
10 March 2008

South Korean officials says they are replacing the male astronaut they intended to send on a space voyage with a woman. The shift in plans, coming just weeks before the scheduled launch, is due to an apparent violation¹ of security protocols³ by the male astronaut. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

The surprise announcement was made Monday by Lee Sang-mok, a Director of Research at South Korea's Ministry⁴ of Education, Science, and Technology.

Lee says the glory of becoming South Korea's first astronaut will now go to a woman.

That woman, 29-year-old bioengineering student Yi So-yeon, was originally chosen as a backup for male astronaut Ko San. Now, in a reversal of roles, Ko San is expected to stay behind when Yi is launched aboard a Russian rocket to the international space station next month.

Both individuals were selected from a pool of more than 36,000 applicants⁵, and have spent months training at a Russian training center.

Director Lee says Ko San forefeited his first-in-line position by violating a number of Russian security protocols.

Lee says Ko San broke rules on several occasions, by removing sensitive training materials from the Russian facility.

Lee says the recommendation to replace Ko San came from Russian officials, who he describes as very fastidious about following rules.

Lee says Russian authorities point out that in space - especially aboard the space station where several nations are cooperating - even a small mistake or protocol² violation can have serious consequences.

Yi is expected to spend 10 days next month conducting experiments with U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts. The mission is part of an ambitious South Korean initiative into space exploration, including the planned completion of a $265 million space research center next year.

1 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

2 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

3 protocols   

n.礼仪( protocol的名词复数 )；（外交条约的）草案；（数据传递的）协议；科学实验报告（或计划）

参考例句：

• There are also protocols on the testing of nuclear weapons. 也有关于核武器试验的协议。 来自辞典例句
• Hardware components and software design of network transport protocols are separately introduced. 介绍系统硬件组成及网络传输协议的软件设计。 来自互联网

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。