Korean Expedition Team Set to Climb on December 26

As D-day approaches, the South Pole expedition team is shifting the level of intensity of their training up a notch. The team has been continuously undergoing mountain climbing training over one and two-night climbs at Seongapdo and Deokjeokdo, located at the West Coast. A journalist, who is scheduled to join their expedition, took part in the training as well.

The team members underwent an extensive screening process over July and August in order to gain selection. These bold mountaineers will be grouped into three teams and will attempt to scale Vinson Massif (4897m/16076ft.), the highest peak of the South Pole, and visit Korea’s Sejong base and the South Pole base located there.

The team initially comprised four Corean Alpine Club members and nine college students. But with one student dropping out due to personal reasons, and another student forced to resign after succumbing to injury during training, the number of students now stands at seven. Among them are three female climbers. In the latest training, three Alpine Club members and six students participated.

From Incheon port they took a 50 minute boat ride to Deokjeokdo Island. From there, they boarded a fishing vessel and traveled for around 50 minutes to arrive at Seongapdo Island. This deserted island is covered with mountainous terrain. Mt. Seongap reaches 352m above sea level.

Beginning their climb from Seongapdo Island’s East End, the members climbed non-stop for five hours. It was a hellish experience for the journalist, having to struggle through thorny branches and shrubs. But the expedition team members breezed through, even under the weight of 20kg packs.

If one were to find out more about each individual member of the team, it would be no surprise to conclude that to each of them, mountain climbing is life. The eldest of the members, Choi Seong-ho (26, a Kyung Hee Univ. senior, Architecture major, Sejong Base Team) has been affiliated in school mountain climbing teams since high school. In 2005, he scaled Mt. McKinley (6149m/20320ft.), the highest peak in North America, and last year he was a part of the expedition team that conquered Broad Peak (8047m/26400ft.) in Pakistan.

The youngest male team member is the baby faced Eun Seong-hun (23. Kyungpook Univ. Sophomore, Vinson Massif Team). He served in the ROK Marines, and was once an active MMA exponent. He is currently the captain of the Kyungpook University Climbing Team.

After completing their climb of Mt. Seongap, the team spent the night at a small inn on Deokjeokdo Island and resumed training around Deokjeokdo Island the following day.

After a two-night and three-day training in Mt. Seorak, on December 16, the team will hold a special ceremony to mark the beginning of their South Pole expedition on December 23.

kimsk@donga.com