Yi So-yeon, South Korea's first and only astronaut, decided she's done with space exploration and handed her resignation letter to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

The 36-year old female astronaut cited personal reasons for quitting her post. The South Korean government was criticized for spending massive amounts on the space program after Yi quit.

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The government is believed to have given the program more than US$29 million in funding.

In 2008, Yi, a University of California master's degree holder, became the first Korean to board a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to fly to the International Space Station (ISS).

While on the ISS, Yi was given the position of Spaceflight Participant. She conducted 18 experiments, including the monitoring of gravitational effects on 1,000 fruit flies in an airconditioned container.

During her time in space, Yi said that she hoped the people of South Korea were "happy" with what she managed to achieve for their country and the world.

In 2013, however, Yi admitted the South Korean government did not have enough funding for a second mission.

As early as June, Yi told the Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo that she has been getting most of the blame for the costly space program.

"I feel bad that I'm the one always blamed for the failure of the space business -- even though there are problems with government policy toward the space business," she admitted.

Quitting has proven to be a double-edged sword, however. She was blamed for the hefty space program funding, but was labeled as a "quitter" after she announced her resignation.

KARI has also been criticized for choosing the wrong person for job and wasting taxpayers' money. Critics accuse the government of using the program for mere publicity.