An event was organized at the heart of Jugal Himal to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of friendship and cooperation between South Korea and Nepal.
The historic climb and adventurous journey have emerged as the cornerstone of enduring relationship between Nepal and South Korea. Diplomatic relations between Nepal and South Korea were established on May 15, 1974.
The decades of partnership and relations between the two countries have expanded over the years while the mutual respect and common aspirations have thrived.?
The fifty years of Nepal-South Korea relations was celebrated in 2024 and it has been taken as a unique journey.
A joint team comprising mountaineers from both South Korea and Nepal successfully climbed Jugal 1 (6,591 meters) which was recently opened for climbing.
A renowned Korean mountaineer and honorary Nepali citizen Um Hong Gil had led the expedition team.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Thayeng handed the national flags of South Korea and Nepal to the expedition team and wished for a successful ascent of Mount Jugal.
The government of Nepal had waived the entry fee for climbing Jugal (1 and 2) peaks, which are relatively close to Kathmandu.
The team was welcomed with traditional dances and local cuisine at Balefi Bazaar, inhibited by ethnic Newar people. Donned in their traditional attire, the villagers offered warm Nepali hospitality to the guests.
The locals played Panche Baajaa, a set of traditional Nepali musical instruments, at the old market Kattike bazar and a cultural dance of the Tamang community was performed at Gonde Village in Gumba.
Jugal Rural Municipality Chairman Resham Syangbo, Vice Chairman Himal Kumar Shrestha, Chief Administrative Officer Lok Bahadur BK, ward chairmen, people’s representatives and local residents were present to mark the occasion.
British citizen Steps55 (Step Fifty-Five) and team leader Paulin, who had come to climb Jugal Himal, also joined in the program. Popular mountaineer Dawa Yangzum Sherpa had also reached Palmothang.
On the fourth day, the climbers performed Puja (ritual worship) at Ne-Pemachhal (3, 500 meters from sea level), a peaceful valley surrounded by beautiful peaks.
The ritual worship was performed based on Buddhist traditions as a spiritual preparation for the challenges ahead.After spending two nights at Palmothang, situated on the foothill of Mt Phurbaghechu, the climbers reached the base camp on the sixth day.
The trek up to the base camp (4, 700 meters) was tough.A helicopter had transported the essentials needed for the expedition. Locally known as Yang Kharka, this place has a picturesque backdrop of snow-capped mountains.
After resting for a day at the base camp, mountain guides moved up to check the route and fix the ropes. Unfortunately, a guide was injured in an avalanche and he was sent to Kathmandu for treatment.
In the meantime, member of the House of Representatives Madhav Sapkota, member of Bagmati Province Assembly Saral Sahayatri Paudel and expedition manager Nawang Nima Sherpa had reached the base camp to cheer up the expedition team. At the same time, the event’s co-sponsor, Mr. Rho Iksang (CEO of the Korean Research Company and the Alpine Rescue Association), also arrived at Basecamp.
Notwithstanding the obstacles, the expedition team started their journey to the summit at 10 pm on April 27 with high spirits.
When the team members reached 6,350 meters, the weather started getting worse. The team was forced to take a tough decision to come down, while the summit was just 241 meters away. It was a heart-breaking decision. Human safety was definitely the first priority.
As there was a program to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and South Korea on April 28, the team members returned to Kathmandu on a helicopter to attend the program. After returning to Kathmandu, the team members took some rest.
With the encouragement from the team leader Um Hong-Gil and local representatives, the team members decided to give it another shot.
On May 1, 2024, the climbers headed towards the mountain with renewed hope and determination.
On May 3, 2024, they successfully scaled Jugal 1 at 3:40 pm. It was a moment of victory, marking a new chapter in Nepal-South Korea relations.
This Expedition was Organized by: Jugal Rural Municipality, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Um Hong Gil Human Foundation, Alpine Rescue Association Korea, Nepal Tourism Board and Embassy of the Republic of Korean on Nepal. This Expedition was managed by Sora Adventure Treks and Expedition. And the chief technical (mountain) guide of this expedition was renowned climber Lakpa Dendi Sherpa and the support guide was Lama babu sherpa.
Milan Tamang (Member of expedition team and facilitator of the campaign) believes “This expedition will take the relations between Nepal and South Korea to a new height”
The successful ascent of Jugal 1 is a proof of enduring relations between Nepal and South Korea. It is a celebration of friendship, resilience and a sense of adventure. This expedition will take the relations between Nepal and South Korea to a new height. I believe that the successful ascent of Jugal 1 by a joint climbing team is the beginning of a new chapter in the field of tourism between the two countries.