ANKARA, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's first research base in Antarctica will be set up next year, Science Minister Faruk Ozlu said Thursday, as reported by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency.
"Turkish scientists will establish a base and remain in the Antarctic permanently," Ozlu said. "The base will be probably established in 2018."
"The buildings and structures that we will install will be made in Turkey and we will send them by ship," he added.
A team of nine scientists set off for Antarctica last month to conduct feasibility studies at sites in the frozen wilderness.
Turkey established its first polar research center in 2015. Last April, a group of Turkish doctors, botanists, geological engineers and oceanographers visited Antarctica to study the impact of climate change.