By Yun Suh-young
A Korean man fell to his death while climbing in the Alps in Switzerland, the foreign ministry said Monday.
The 44-year-old man surnamed Chung was climbing down an ice cliff in the Alps with two other Koreans at around 11 p.m. Friday when a piton he was using malfunctioned leading to the fall. The other two climbers were found to be safe.
The three climbers were members of a mountain climbing club and not professionals, according to the ministry.
It said the Korean Embassy in Switzerland immediately sent a consul to the scene to check the situation and make sure the other two were safe. The ministry said it cooperated in the investigation and retrieval of the body by local police.
The embassy is currently discussing funeral arrangements with the bereaved family.