King Sejong Station

Country South Korea

Established17 February 1988 (1988-02-17)

Elevation

^[1]

10 m (33 ft)

UN/LOCODEAQ KSG

King Sejong Station
Antarctic base
King Sejong Station Location of King Sejong Station in Antarctica
Coordinates: 62°13′22″S 58°47′18″W / 62.222803°S 58.788256°W / -62.222803; -58.788256
Country	South Korea
Location in Antarctica	Barton Peninsula King George Island Antarctica
Administered by	Korea Polar Research Institute
Established	17 February 1988 (1988-02-17)
Named after	Sejong the Great
Elevation [1]	10 m (33 ft)
Population  (2017)[1]
• Summer	68
• Winter	22
UN/LOCODE	AQ KSG
Type	All-year round
Period	Annual
Status	Operational
Activities	Meteorology Oceanography
Website	Korea Polar Research Institute

The King Sejong Station (Korean: 세종과학기지) is a research station for the Korea Antarctic Research Program that is named after King Sejong the Great of Joseon (1397–1450).

Established on February 17, 1988, it consists of 11 facility buildings and two observatories, and it is located on the Barton Peninsula (King George Island), it is currently overseen by station chief scientist In-Young Ahn.^[2][3] It experiences a fairly mild climate subsequently drawing many animals for summer breeding.

In the summer, the station supports up to 68 people,^[1] including scientists and staff from the Korea Polar Research Institute and guest scientists from other institutions as well. Over winter, it accommodates only 22 engineers and scientists^[1] who maintain the station and routinely collect data (meteorological records, oceanographical parameters, etc.), but their main focus is on tracking the general change of the natural environment. Researchers from Korea continually collaborate with various other institutes in Antarctica and the rest of the world by participating in, monitoring, and contributing to the World Meteorological Organization, the Global Sea-level Observing System, the International Seismological Center, and the Intermagnet Project.

The station is usually re-supplied yearly by the RV Onnuri and more frequently by planes flying from Jubany in Argentina and the Chilean Eduardo Frei Base.^[4]

The RV Araon was commissioned in 2009, and she supplies South Korea's research stations, including the Jang Bogo Station.^[5]