A state agency says it has succeeded in freezing an endangered plant species for reproduction at a later time.

The National Institute of Biological Resources says it experimented with the cymbidium, a perennial herb of the orchid family, to successfully reproduce it later.

There have been similar success cases with other plants such as the potato but it's the first time the process has been applied to a wild plant.

Cymbidiums grow in parts of Jeju Island in very scarce number and are protected as endangered plants.

The institute says that in the experiment, it removed any moisture content from pieces of the plant's stem and eyes, and preserved them in a temperature of minus 196 degrees Celsius for several days. The plant was then rapidly thawed and successfully reproduced from a culture fluid. 

Together with the Wildlife Genetic Resources Center, the institute says it will select five endangered species each year to continue this experiment for the purpose of wildlife preservation.