By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Araon, Korea's first icebreaker which was christened last month, will set sail on its first mission today to conduct a series of research projects in the Antarctic.
The 7,487-ton ship will leave Incheon port around 4 p.m. and is expected to arrive at Cape Burks on Jan. 25. The cape, on the Hobbs Coast of Marie Byrd Island, is a candidate location for Korea's second Antarctic research center, which will complement the King Sejong Base that opened in 1988.
A team of 25 scientists and engineers will participate in the three-month expedition to Cape Burks, which will focus on studying the region's ice sheet and glaciers, climate, environment and the conditions for constructing the new research base.
The researchers will also test Araon's ability as an icebreaker, deploying it in different sea-ice conditions to cut channels through the surface ice, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said.
``The ice conditions, as well as the atmospheric environment, geological features and wildlife of Cape Burks will be studied, while Araon's ability as an icebreaker and shipping vessel will be evaluated as well,'' said an official from the ministry's science support division.
``Araon will be used for shipping supplies to the King Sejong Base, while moving personnel in and out of the research center, and also moving construction supplies for building the new base. The ship's research capabilities will be also be crucial in expanding our research to the more remote areas in the Antarctic and Arctic.''
Araon, the result of a 108-billion-won (about $91.5 million) investment, has a range of 37,000 kilometers without refueling and has supplies that can last up to 70days. It is designed for operation in one-meter-thick ice conditions at a speed of 3 knots per hour.
Korean shipbuilders Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanjin Heavy Industries collaborated in designing and building the vessel.
Korea has shown particular interest in improving its understanding of the polar environments, opening the King Sejong Base in 1988 and also opening an Arctic research base in 2002.