A Korean expedition team says it's discovered 13 meteorites at the South Pole.

The polar institute under the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute said Tuesday that an expedition team that began its Antarctic mission in December had found 13 meteorites near the Thiel Mountains. It was the second time the institute sent out a meteorite search team since last February, when it came back with five.

As a result, South Korea now has a total of 18 meteorites from Antarctica.

The polar institute says it will establish a meteorite research center to study further meteoric rocks. The rocks are useful for research into the earth's history and the origins of the universe.