Antarctica Still Has Spring

The Dream of Adventure in Antarctica

Written by Jang Soon-guen

320 pages, 25,000 won, published by Science Books

At King George’s Island in Antarctica, which is located 900 kilometers south from the end tip of the South American continent, there is the Sejong research base of Korea. This base attracted people’s attention last December when an incident which killed the young scientist, Chun Jae-kyu took place.

Sejong base will face its 16th anniversary on February 17. If the weather permits, the research team will invite foreign researchers from eight different countries such as Chile, Brazil, and Poland to hold a small party. They have the mindset that although they get along with the harsh nature of the Antarctic, they still are mesmerized by the infinite possibilities and wonders of Antarctica.

This book records their adventures, dreams, the pleasure of their discoveries, and their sufferings, centering on life at the Sejong base.

The author, Dr. Jang Sun-keun started his career path as a nature researcher when he participated in the inspecting activities as to the land suitable for the new research base in Antarctica in 1987. He took charge as the first chief of the winter-time research team. After that, he has gone through the research team’s head seat several times, concentrating on the polar region research work both at the Dasan base located in the Arctic and the Sejong base alike.

People and Nature in Antarctica –

Dr. Jang commences his story by introducing the people who found Antarctica.

There was First Lieutenant Edward Bransfield of England who voyaged from 1819 in the next year and declared as to every piece of visible land that, “England possesses this land!” There was also Captain William Smith of England who indulged in catching seals for fur, and the Shecleton expedition party which survived from the ice drifts by displaying their perseverance to the limit, all of whom are introduced in this book.

Diverse kinds of animals have inhabited the land of Antarctica in advance of mankind’s visit. The giant sea leopard which has a massive nose that can even be referred as malformed, the white Antarctic pigeons which appear just after the sea leopard’s child birth to eat up the placenta, and the snow seaweeds which can be incredibly well raised under the icy-cold snow are some. But the biggest element which constitutes Antarctica is the ice. The ice drifts are the natural sculpture imagined by nature herself.

“Desk, house, castle, car, the gate of independence, butterfly, dinosaur… When I watch the ice’s shapes, I am surprised for it resembles so much. (Ellipsis) Ice drifts sometimes sing a song with a unique voice. They break apart with a roaring sound. In winter time, the surface of the sea near Sejong Base becomes frosty and thick, for the ice seeds form on it. Following that, circular shaped and palm sized “pancake ice” is created in large scale, causing the sea to be frozen solid.”

Sejong Base is on the ice field, it is the castle of dreams and adventure –

Dr. Jang also talks about the life of Sejong Base which is not disclosed to the public. One item among this life is the “polar region envelope.”

“Each of the winter time research teams from different countries bring a brand-new commemorative stamp and use it in drawing up a document. (Ellipsis) Being aware of this, “the polar region envelope collectors” from all over the world send mail which includes the return-use envelope to request the mark of the commemorative stamp. Among the mail delivered to Sejong Base, the foreigners who use broken Korean earnestly ask for it, making it hard to refuse.”

The time of crisis when they voyage in the thick snowstorm which makes everything hardly visible, their rescue activities in 1989 when an Argentine ship “Via Paraiso” floundered, they had a soccer game on the snow field. That experience, along with the “sea leopard stew,” are both described as lively before the readers’ eyes.

But, as the incident of last December shows, Sejong Base does not have even a mere iceboat. Rather than focusing on this defect, Dr. Jang calmly deals with these problems with a humorous stroke of the pen. Moreover, he even enthusiastically suggests the problems of Sejong Base which have to be solved in the future.

“It is time for us to establish a second Antarctic base and penetrate the 4000 meters of thick ice. By collecting the water and sand covered under the ice field, we should research the extinct ancient organisms.”

Ki-Tae Kwon kkt@donga.com