S. Korean female climber heads to Himalayas to set world record

INCHEON, March 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean female mountaineer Oh Eun-sun departed on Monday for Kathmandu, Nepal, to climb Annapurna in the Himalayas and become the first woman to conquer all the world's 14 highest peaks.

Oh, 44, has succeeded in conquering 13 of the so-called "eight-thousanders," the
world's 14 highest mountains that are more than 8,000 meters above sea level, all
located in the Himalayan region.
Annapurna, the 10th highest summit in the world at 8,091m, is the last remaining
eight-thousander that she must climb to set the new record for women climbers.
"I'm a little bit thrilled and nervous facing the journey but I'll climb the
mountain with determination," Oh said before leaving from Incheon International
Airport. "I'm confident as I have been there last year and in good condition.
I'll come back with good news."
She has put off her ascent of Annapurna once before, in October last year, due to
inclement weather on the mountain, considered one of the most dangerous in the
world.
Oh plans to make the ascent of Annapurna around April 25 along the north Buttress
route, after one month of adjusting to the high altitude at some 5,600m above sea
level.
She launched her career by conquering the 8,034m high Gasherbrum II in 1997 and
climbed Mount Everest, the world's highest peak at 8,848m, in 2004.
brk@yna.co.kr