SEOUL (AFP) -- One member of a South Korean mission to the Antarctic died while seven others were rescued after their boats capsized at sea, officials said Tuesday.

The dead scientist was identified as Jeon Jae-Kyu, 27, newly posted for a one-year stay at the Antarctic research base.

"Seven of our Antarctic research team have been rescued overnight," Choi Tae-won at the prime minister's office told AFP.

The eight went missing in two groups over the weekend. The first group of three were lost Saturday while seeing off 24 colleagues going back to South Korea via Chile. The second group of five went missing early Monday during a search for the first group.

The death came from the second group whose rubber boat had capsized due to bad weather, triggering a search involving planes and ships from Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

Choi said the first group, who managed to retrieve their boat after it capsized, were rescued by a Chilean helicopter.

South Korea has operated the state-run Antarctic base since 1988, after joining the Antarctic Treaty in 1986. The base has 15 researchers who study ore deposits and biological resources.