Dispute over climber Oh Eun-sun resurfaces

By Park Si-soo

An investigative SBS TV program reignited a dispute over whether female climber Oh Eun-sun has scaled all of the world’s 14 highest peaks, calling into question her ascent of the 8,586-meter Kangchenjunga in May last year.

The program “Want to Know,” aired Saturday night, offering a couple of new allegations conflicting with Oh’s claim.

One of new challenges was about a flag from her alma mater she carried to take a photo with at the summit.

The flag was recovered by a Korean climber about 50 to 60 meters below the summit.

Oh had argued she lost the flag on her way to the summit and didn’t remember where the flag went missing.

But the program showed the edge of a flag stuffed in her jumper in photos she allegedly took at the top of the Kangchenjunga. Photo experts confirmed the flag in the photos seemed identical to the one recovered by the Korean climber.

Program staffers attempted to contact Oh to ask about this flag, but she refused to comment, according to SBS.

The program also highlighted contradicting opinions among Sherpas accompanying Oh’s expedition ― one claimed Oh returned after reaching 150 meters below the summit, while another said she made it.

This doubt first came to the surface last December raised by domestic peers and then blew into an international issue when the 44-year-old conquered the summit of 8,091-meter Annapurna in April to claim that she was the first woman to top the world’s 14 highest peaks, edging out archrival, Edurne Pasaban from Spain.

In an interview with the program, Elizabeth Hawley, an 86-year-old American journalist enjoying judge-like status in professional climbing, said Oh’s ascending of Kangchenjunga remains “not proven.”

Viewers are also divided over the program’s allegations.