Vietnamese daughter-in-law chosen by the South Korean Air Force as national pilot.

The Korea Times reported that Lee Ho-jeong (41 years old, using a Korean name), a Vietnamese-born woman, was selected by the South Korean Air Force to become the "national pilot" of South Korea.

Lee Ho-jeong will be one of four representatives to experience flying the T-50 aircraft at the Seoul Air Show ADEX 2023, held at Seoul Airport on October 21st. Lee Ho-jeong (41 years old) is Vietnamese; she came to South Korea in 2001 through marriage and became a South Korean citizen in 2007. The South Korean Air Force recently announced that this Vietnamese woman is one of four selected from nearly 3,000 applications to be chosen as a national pilot in 2023. Lee shared with a South Korean newspaper that since childhood, she always wanted to become a professional pilot but couldn't pursue her dream due to her family's financial difficulties. However, she didn't give up on her dream. Lee is now a mother of two children. She works as a bank employee and tutors Vietnamese, and has obtained her light aircraft pilot's license. According to the South Korean Air Force, when selected as the nation's pilot, Lee stated that she wanted to encourage immigrants who came through marriage to strive to achieve their goals.

Lee Ho-jeong, a woman of Vietnamese descent, became a national pilot in South Korea.

South Korean Air Force

The South Korean Air Force's fan page stated in its announcement of the selection results: Lee Ho-jeong (female, 41 years old, housewife) participated in the selection process with the desire to show multicultural families in South Korea that they can achieve anything if they overcome language and cultural barriers. The national pilot selection competition is held every two years. This year, four people were selected for the opportunity to fly a military aircraft. Any South Korean citizen over 17 years old can apply. Candidates must pass an interview and undergo intensive flight training before the final results are announced. This year, the national pilots will fly T-50 fighter jets at the Seoul Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) currently being held at Seoul Air Force Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

T-50 aircraft

Pilots from the Air Force will conduct experiential flights on October 21st. They will fly over Gangwon Province, from the mountainous region to the eastern coast. After completing the one-hour flight, they will return to Seoul Air Force Base and will be presented with commemorative red scarves. Other selected individuals include Kim Jong-seop (49), the older brother of the late Air Force Major General Kim Jong-soo, who passed away while serving in 2005, and Kim Eui-hyeon, a neurosurgeon at Severance Hospital in Seoul. Also included is Yoo Dong-hyun (26), a university student. Yoo holds the Guinness World Record from 2018 for being the youngest finisher in four Deserts Ultramarathons. According to the South Korean Air Force, 2,678 people applied to participate in this year's national pilot program, marking a competition ratio of 1 in 692, the highest since its inception in 2007. To date, 37 individuals from diverse backgrounds and age groups, including students, office workers, police officers, nurses, and teachers, have been selected as national pilots.

Thanhnien.vn