Relics of late mountaineer Kim Hong-bin, who conquered peaks despite disability, to be nominated as pre-cultural heritage

Authorities are seeking to designate the personal belongings of the late mountaineer Kim Hong-bin — who overcame disability to complete all 14 Himalayan eight-thousanders and the Seven Summits — as national cultural heritage.

The city of Gwangju said Wednesday it had submitted an application to the Cultural Heritage Administration asking that Kim's belongings be designated as pre-cultural heritage.

The application covers seven categories of items, comprising 31 pieces in total, including climbing equipment and personal effects.

The relics have already drawn high marks, winning the top prize at a pre-cultural heritage discovery competition hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Gwangju, which filed the application after consulting with Kim's family, said the belongings hold significant preservation value, particularly in the context of sports activities for people with disabilities.

The pre-cultural heritage system allows the Cultural Heritage Administration to select and preserve modern cultural assets — those less than 50 years old — that show strong potential to become nationally designated heritage.

Ten items currently hold pre-cultural heritage status, including the Nobel Peace Prize medal of former President Kim Dae-jung, the "Papillon chair" of Buddhist monk Beopjeong, and belongings of democracy activist Lee Han-yeol, who was struck by a tear gas canister.

Kim Hong-bin was the first mountaineer with a disability to complete both the Seven Summits — the highest peak on each continent — and all 14 Himalayan peaks above 8,000 meters.

He lost all 10 fingers to frostbite after being stranded during a solo ascent of Denali (6,194 meters), North America's highest peak, in 1991. Undeterred, he summited Europe's Mount Elbrus (5,642 meters) in 1997 and Antarctica's Vinson Massif (4,897 meters) in 2009, becoming the first person with a disability to complete the Seven Summits.

Kim launched his Himalayan campaign in 2006 with expeditions to Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters) and Shishapangma (8,027 meters). He summited Everest (8,850 meters) in 2007 and reached the top of Gasherbrum I (8,068 meters) in 2019, bringing his total to 13 of the 14 peaks.

In June 2021, he set out to climb the last remaining summit, Broad Peak (8,047 meters), and reached the top in July, sending a message that read: "I hope completing the 14 summits can be a small source of hope for people struggling through COVID-19."

On his descent, however, he slipped and fell off a cliff during the rescue operation that followed, and was never found.

An eight-day search failed to locate his body, and the effort was called off at his family's request. The government posthumously awarded him the Cheongnyong Order of Sports Merit.

In 2022, his family donated 11 of his belongings — including equipment he had used during his climbs — to the National Alpine Museum.

세계 첫 장애인 14좌 완등 김홍빈 유품, 국민품으로

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