LIG Insurance CEO to Climb Mt. Everest
By Yoon Ja-young
Staff Reporter
LIG Insurance CEO Koo Cha-joon will leave for Mt. Everest Monday for a very special mission ― the donation of 1,000 won for every 1 meter in altitude he climbs.
The CEO is leading an expedition that aims at opening up a "Everest Korean route.'' He is scheduled to climb Everest from Lukla, a town in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal, 2,840 meters above sea level, to the base camp located 5,364 meters above sea level. Hence, he will climb 2,524 meters in total, donating 2,524,000 won to a scholarship for children of car accident victims.
The team will climb the southwest face of the mountain, one of Everest's most difficult trails. Only U.K. and Russian expeditions have succeeded there so far. Koo has led expedition teams to K2, the South Pole, North Pole, Vinson Massif and Ama Dablam. He has also led teams to Everest a number of times.
Koo is also widely known for his love for marathons. He has been donating 100 won for every one meter he's run since he participated in the Berlin Marathon in 2004 and has raised nearly 40 million won so far, which was donated to the children of car accident victims.
``Marathons and expeditions go hand in hand with the spirit of challenge, which is indispensable for a businessman. The idea of helping kids as I overcome challenges gives me greater motivation and courage,'' Koo said.