An Antarctic researcher wintering with other scientists on a distant station is accused of pulling a makeshift knife on a colleague.
Researchers wintering on the Korean Antarctic Jang Bogo station were caught in something out of a horror movie after considered one of their colleagues’ threatening behaviour on the world’s remotest continent.
The incident happened last month, when the icy continent becomes extremely inhospitable ahead of winter with temperatures averaging -45°C.
A winter-over station staff member pulled a blade on one other personnel, the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) said.
The 30cm (11-inch) shank had been pieced together from a steel sheet within the station workshop, based on Korean media.
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Nobody was injured within the standoff, which resulted within the suspect being taken away.
The suspect, who has not been named, was identified as a person in his 50s, with an alleged prior record of misconduct and issues with colleagues, based on the Korea Times.
He was reportedly separated from the remaining of the group before departing for South Korea, where he arrived on Monday.
Police in South Korea have now launched an investigation.
His departure was possible only due to international cooperation between countries that run Antarctic missions, because the continent is basically out of bounds this time of the 12 months.
Jang Bogo Station, South Korea’s second Antarctic base, was founded in 2014 in Terra Nova Bay.
It sits in Victoria Land within the southeastern Antarctic. The closest country is Latest Zealand, which is hundreds of miles across the inhospitable Southern Ocean.
Neighbouring stations include the American McMurdo Station on the southern tip of Ross Island, Latest Zealand’s Antarctic research station Scott Base, Italy’s seasonal station Zucchelli and Germany’s Gondwana Station.
Only specialist aircraft could make the journey to the Antarctic research spots, with flights normally taking around 4 to 5 hours, while a sea crossing from Australia can take as much as two weeks, and each are weather-dependent.
The UK operates several bases on the continent through the British Antarctic Survey. It has three all-year bases in Rothera, Halley and Signy, and two summer-only stations.
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