Korea's first ice-breaking vessel, the “Araon,” joined with the Russian icebreaker "Akademik Fedorov" in the Antarctic Ocean early Friday morning Korea time.

The two ships will travel 500 kilometers together by Monday to reach Cape Burks, a candidate site for a Korean science base in the South Pole.

The Russian ice-breaker will pave the way and the Araon will follow behind while testing out its own ice-breaking capabilities.

After arriving at Cape Burks, a helicopter will transfer some 20 researchers from the Araon to the potential site for the new base to conduct surveys on glaciers, the ecology and other factors.

After inspecting Cape Burks, the team will do a similar survey at the second candidate site, Terra Nova Bay, early next month.