Get you up to speed: South Korea investigates Antarctic researcher for threatening colleague with knife
An Antarctic researcher at the Jang Bogo Station is accused of pulling a makeshift knife on a colleague during an incident last month. The Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) confirmed that the blade was fabricated from a steel sheet in the station workshop.
A researcher at the Jang Bogo Station was accused of threatening a colleague with a makeshift knife, which had been constructed from a steel sheet, according to the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI). Following the incident, the suspect, a man in his 50s with a prior record of misconduct, was separated from the group and later returned to South Korea, where police have launched an investigation.
The suspect from the Jang Bogo station was taken away and separated from the group before departing for South Korea, where he arrived on Monday. Police in South Korea have launched an investigation into the incident.
Scientist holed up in Antarctic lab ‘pulls 11inch knife on colleague’ | News World
An Antarctic scientist at the Jang Bogo station allegedly pulled a makeshift knife on a colleague (Picture: Getty Images)
An Antarctic researcher wintering with other scientists on a remote station is accused of pulling a makeshift knife on a colleague.
Researchers wintering at the Korean Antarctic Jang Bogo station were caught in something out of a horror movie after 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 another personnel, the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) said.
The South Korean Jang Bogo permanent Antarctic station consists of 16 facilities and it can house up to 60 people (Picture: Yonhap/EPA/Shutterstock)
The 30cm (11-inch) shank had been pieced together from a steel sheet in the station workshop, according to Korean media.
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No one was injured in the standoff, which resulted in the suspect being taken away.
The suspect, who has not been named, was identified as a man in his 50s, with an alleged prior record of misconduct and issues with colleagues, according to the Korea Times.
He was reportedly separated from the rest 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 thanks to international cooperation between countries that run Antarctic missions, as the continent is largely out of bounds this time of the year.
Jang Bogo Station, South Korea’s second Antarctic base, was founded in 2014 in Terra Nova Bay.
It sits in Victoria Land in the southeastern Antarctic. The nearest country is New Zealand, which is thousands of miles across the inhospitable Southern Ocean.
Neighbouring stations include the American McMurdo Station on the southern tip of Ross Island, New Zealand’s Antarctic research station Scott Base, Italy’s seasonal station Zucchelli and Germany’s Gondwana Station.
Only specialist aircraft can make the journey to the Antarctic research spots, with flights usually taking around four to five hours, while a sea crossing from Australia can take up to two weeks, and both 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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