S. Korea pushes to designate special protection area near South Pole

South Korea will soon conduct a survey of ecological systems on an offshore hill near the country's Antarctic research base as the first step to designate the site as an internationally recognized Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA), an environment ministry official said Wednesday.

Seoul will conduct the survey during January and February so it can apply for the ASPA designation during the 13th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in May 2008, according to the official.

The offshore hill named "Penguin Village" is located 2 kilometers southeast of the research center, King Sejong Station.

South Korea would retain the right to control entry into the village and to take various other measures to protect its outstanding environmental, scientific, historic, aesthetic and wilderness value if the area is designated as an ASPA.

The village contains breeding colonies for birds, including the Antarctic skua and three penguin species. The site is also home to flowering plants, moss and lichen.

Twelve of 18 countries with a research base near the South Pole, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have 65 ASPAs.

South Korea currently has no designated ASPA while Italy, which has no Antarctic research base, retains two.

Seoul, Jan. 24 (Yonhap News)