원정 개요

BC at Lhotse Glacier (south of Lhotse)
C1 on rock at top of Glacier
C2 on ridged face.

Unable to go above 7700m because food finished, everybody very tired and needed more gear (some gear disappeared by avalanche): ladders and pitons need to go up and one member's rucksack holding gear and clothes fell from his back and lost. Very strong wind (sounding like airplane) many days snowfall reduced number of days could climb. Some Sherpas went on strike because felt too dangerous. 5 Sherpas went to BC but only 2 climbed up from BC and all 5 and kitchen boy struck and left team; 2 new Sherpas arrived BC 22 Sept ("I don't understand why" first 5 left) says Hong, but these 2 also left with one having eye problem and fell sick 18 Oct.

Some rock areas very difficult above C2 and above C2.

Team had 3 experienced climbers: Hong Sung-Taek, Hong Seong-Ha and Ra; others were "support climbers."

Expedition's liaison officer, Umesh Singh of Tourism Ministry mountaineering section, said 1 Nov 99: team members mostly young and inexperienced and ordered Sherpas to fix ropes for them where Sherpas said too dangerous to go up. Very bad relations between Koreans and Sherpas.

* Hong Sung-Taek said Koreans doubt Russians or Slovene scaled South Face. Koreans found Soviet rope up to 7000m but none higher. Koreans followed Soviet route at beginning and stayed near to it higher up.