Veteran mountaineer to climb Mt. Everest with college junior

Kim Chang-ho, left, 44, and Jeon Pruna, 24, pose after climbing Mt. Dobong in northern Seoul, Sunday. The senior and junior who attend the University
of Seoul will climb Mt. Everest in March. / Courtesy of Kim Chang-ho

By Kim Bo-eun

Kim Chang-ho, winner of the 2012 Piolet d'Or Asia, the equivalent to the Oscars for mountaineers, is setting out to climb Mount Everest. This time, it will be with a fellow climber and a junior at his university.

The 44-year-old Kim entered the University of Seoul's department of trade in 1988 and is finally graduating this February. For the past 25 years, Kim pushed aside school life to focus on his passion for climbing.

Following graduation, Kim will ascend Everest with 24-year-old Jeon Pruna, a student at the department of physics at the same university.

"We started talking about the expedition at a year-end gathering of our mountaineering club," said Kim. "Jeon volunteered to come with me and I consented."

Kim who has enjoyed traveling since he was a child, joined a mountaineering club when he started university and steadily grew apart from his studies.

"In the 1990s, when one decided to go on an overseas expedition, it took at least three years to research and study routes," said Kim. "I went on three expeditions abroad and so I was hardly able to pay attention to my studies."

"But climbing is not simply about climbing mountains. It requires a lot of research and studying as well," said Kim, explaining the reason he decided to return to school and finish his studies.

Kim and Jeon are set to depart for their expedition in March.

In most cases, those who climb Everest reach the base camp by car or plane, and start their journey there. However, Kim and Jeon have decided to get to the base camp without the help of such forms of transportation.

Instead, they will kayak 150 kilometers from the Bay of Bengal, cycle 1,000 kilometers and walk another 150 kilometers to get to the base camp.

They have also decided not to use oxygen masks.

"When you reach 8,000 meters without an oxygen mask, it becomes so tough they call it the death zone. But one can only reach the summit after overcoming this stage of adversity," he said.

"What matters is teamwork. Even if just one of us makes it to the summit, it will be a victory for both of us," Kim added.

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