By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
A top Korean mountaineer will once again flex his muscles to stand on a mountaintop in the Antarctic.
Um Hong-gil, 47, will leave for the South Pole Wednesday to conquer the highest mountain of the territory, the Vinson Massif.
The 4,897-meter-high mountain is located about 1,200 kilometers from the South Pole.
The expedition is the first step in a bid to climb the highest mountains on the seven continents following Um becoming the first human to reach the summits of the 16 highest points on Earth _ Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Nanga, Parbat, Annapurna, Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II, Shishapangma and the central summit of Shishapangma ― last June.
Um will accomplish the first mission by Jan. 23, 2008, if no difficulties are encountered.
Ko In-kyung, 62, chairman of Pagoda Education Group, will go with the veteran mountaineers.
He has given financial support to Um over the last 13 years.
The businessman, who also organized a supporting association for Um in 1997, has served as a leader of the group.
``The Vinson Massif is lower than those in the Himalayas but it is not that easy to climb because of the biting cold, blizzards and adverse weather,'' said Um. ``I decided to team up with my decade-long supporter to encourage young Koreans to embrace the adventurous spirit.''