Raising National Sports Prestige by Continuing Mountain Climbing Despite Losing Ten Fingers
On the morning of the 4th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism visited the memorial altar set up at the Yeomju Sports Complex in Gwangju for the late Captain Kim Hong-bin (aged 57). On behalf of President Moon Jae-in, they posthumously awarded him the Blue Dragon Order of Sports Merit and offered condolences to his bereaved family and fellow mountaineers. Captain Kim went missing while descending after successfully summiting Broad Peak (8,047m) in the Himalayas on the 18th of last month.
Captain Kim began his professional mountaineering career in 1989 with a winter expedition to Everest (8,848m). In 1991, while climbing Denali (6,194m), the highest peak in North America, he suffered an accident and lost all ten fingers. However, he overcame this hardship through persistent mountaineering and by actively participating as a disabled alpine skier and disabled cyclist.
Since 2006, Captain Kim challenged himself to climb all 14 Himalayan peaks over 8,000 meters. Notably, in July of this year, he reached the summit of Broad Peak, achieving the remarkable feat of becoming the first disabled person to climb all fourteen Himalayan peaks above 8,000 meters.
The Order of Sports Merit is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of sports, enhancing the status of national sports and contributing to national development. Among these, the Blue Dragon Order is classified as a first-class medal.
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