SEOUL, July 23 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's first rocket launch may be put off until 2009 due to delays in the arrival of the main booster rocket and other key parts from Russia, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Wednesday.

    The ministry said it plans to talk with the Russian authorities next month to determine the exact launch date.

    The ministry said that the Korea Launch Vehicle System-1 (KLVS-1) will arrive in South Korea later than expected.

    There are delays with the launch pad, which is being built by a local company, it said.

    According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, the first-stage part of the rocket was scheduled to arrive within July, but Russia said it might not be delivered until next month.

    Russia's space agency has suggested that the launch be delayed until after the first quarter of next year, the ministry said.

    Under an agreement between South Korea and Russia in 2004, Russia promised to help South Korea build a rocket to be launched by the end of 2008.

    The KLSV-1 will be the first rocket to be launched from South Korea and end the country's reliance on foreign rockets to send vehicles into space.