ID :
209026
Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209026
The shortlink copeid
S. Korean climber poised for recognition after reconquering disputed peak
SEOUL (Yonhap) - South Korean climber Kim Jae-soo is poised to be officially recognized for scaling the world's 14 highest peaks after reaching the summit of a mountain he'd scaled earlier in disputed fashion, his corporate sponsor here said Friday.
Kolon Sports said Kim informed officials earlier in the day that he had reached the peak of Cho Oyu, an 8,201-meter peak on the Nepal-China border and one of 14 "eight-thousanders" in the world.
In April of this year, Kim said he'd completed his climb of the world's 14 highest peaks by scaling Annapurna, 8,091 meters tall, in the Himalayas. The 14 tallest peaks are collectively called eight-thousanders since each is at least 8,000 meters above sea level.
Kim first scaled Cho Oyu in 1993 but that climb was not officially recognized because he illegally crossed the Nepalese border during his climb.
Kim later admitted he "got carried away" by his desire to scale the peak and would seek to climb Cho Oyu again sometime this year.
According to Kolon Sports, Kim also lived up to a promise he made to a fallen friend and fellow climber, Ko Mi-young.
The two scaled 10 of the 14 peaks together but Ko died while descending the 8,125-節?eter Nanga Parbat in July, 2009.
In May, Kim said he and Ko had promised to climb Cho Oyu together, since Kim previously reached the top of that mountain alone before teaming up with Ko.
Not counting Kim's unrecognized climb in 1993, he scaled the 14 peaks in a record four years and five months. Climbers before him have taken between eight and 20 years.
Only 26 other climbers are officially recognized as having conquered all 14 peaks, all of which are located in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges.
There have been three previous South Korean climbers acknowledged to have scaled the peaks: Um Hong-gil, Park Young-seok and Han Wang-yong.
In April of last year, female climber Oh Eun-sun claimed she also completed the group by scaling Kanchenjunga. Oh's climb remains disputed, however, because of discrepancies in her photo allegedly taken at the top. Even the Korean Alpine Federation (KAF) last year questioned whether Oh had reached the summit.
Kolon Sports said Kim informed officials earlier in the day that he had reached the peak of Cho Oyu, an 8,201-meter peak on the Nepal-China border and one of 14 "eight-thousanders" in the world.
In April of this year, Kim said he'd completed his climb of the world's 14 highest peaks by scaling Annapurna, 8,091 meters tall, in the Himalayas. The 14 tallest peaks are collectively called eight-thousanders since each is at least 8,000 meters above sea level.
Kim first scaled Cho Oyu in 1993 but that climb was not officially recognized because he illegally crossed the Nepalese border during his climb.
Kim later admitted he "got carried away" by his desire to scale the peak and would seek to climb Cho Oyu again sometime this year.
According to Kolon Sports, Kim also lived up to a promise he made to a fallen friend and fellow climber, Ko Mi-young.
The two scaled 10 of the 14 peaks together but Ko died while descending the 8,125-節?eter Nanga Parbat in July, 2009.
In May, Kim said he and Ko had promised to climb Cho Oyu together, since Kim previously reached the top of that mountain alone before teaming up with Ko.
Not counting Kim's unrecognized climb in 1993, he scaled the 14 peaks in a record four years and five months. Climbers before him have taken between eight and 20 years.
Only 26 other climbers are officially recognized as having conquered all 14 peaks, all of which are located in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges.
There have been three previous South Korean climbers acknowledged to have scaled the peaks: Um Hong-gil, Park Young-seok and Han Wang-yong.
In April of last year, female climber Oh Eun-sun claimed she also completed the group by scaling Kanchenjunga. Oh's climb remains disputed, however, because of discrepancies in her photo allegedly taken at the top. Even the Korean Alpine Federation (KAF) last year questioned whether Oh had reached the summit.
