The South Korean government is seeking a second research station in the Antarctic following the King Sejong Station. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries announced Monday... it has prepared a medium to long term plan for the establishment of the second station in the South Pole around 2006. It will budget 70 billion won or 54.46 million dollars for the project. The step came as the King Sejong Station is an outworn facility and has limitations of full-scale studies on the Antarctic due to its location of south latitude 65 degrees. Possible spots for the new base include the Indian Ocean, the southwest part of King Sejong Station and southern Africa regions off the Atlantic Ocean. The ministry is to decide the building site after considering the easiness to approach and station distribution status of other countries. The establishment of new research institute to take charge of the new Antarctic station is under consideration. South Korea began the study of the South Pole in 1978 and became the 33rd country to join the Antarctic Treaty in 1986.