Everest | 1984 S Col-SE Ridge

A S Korea expedition to Everest in 1984 via S Col-SE Ridge, led by Oh In-Hwan. Summit reached on 20th December 1984. 13 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 497
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID EVER84401
Peak ID EVER
Year 1984
Season 4
Host Country 1
Route 1 S Col-SE Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality S Korea
Leaders Oh In-Hwan
Sponsor 1984-1985 Korean Winter Everest Expedition
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1984-11-17
Summit Date 1984-12-20
Summit Time -
Summit Days 33
Total Days 67
Termination Date 1985-01-23
Termination Reason 9
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7850m due to lack of time to resume climb
High Point (m) 7850
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 13
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 17
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(17/11,5380m),C1(02/12,6100m),C2(05/12,6500m),C3(10/12,7240m),xxx(20-21/12,7850m)
Route Notes BC at usual site C1 at top of Icefall (Dutch site) C2 in Cwm site of many earlier expeditions C3 on lower part of Lhotse Face ( again found others debris) High point at 1 hour below Col. Icefall in very bad condition: used 70 ladders to make route there, but defeated by wind in summit bid in Dec. Then food supplies exhausted and tents broken. Oh went to Korea for funds for more food, tents and Sherpas but by time he returned to KTM yesterday (with less money than needed), not enough time left to return to mountain. Meeting of 9 remaining members decided to abandon climb. See notes of 19 Jan 1985. Nam's strength not so great this winter: didn't have time to get into condition beforehand. Two human bodies were seen near S Col, one of these was blown to near C2. Nam - 19 Jan 1985 Reached C4 site 7850m (Kato camp) Nam and Lin and 5 Sherpas on 19 and 20 Dec. Deposited 8 oxygen and tent and food but did not sleep there. Then 3 days in C3 for summit attack but very strong wind 21-23 Dec and on 23 Dec to C2. 2 Sherpas gave up climb and descended to BC: strong Sherpas but afraid of wind. After left C3 wind broke 1 tent. Nam and Lim and 3 Sherpas and 1 cook stayed C2. 24 Dec Nam close to BC. Very strong wind that day and all that night those still in C2 holding down tents which wind broke and then to BC on 20 Dec. 25th Dec 2 Nam and 2 Sherpas in C1. 26 Dec all in BC and decided go down to Namche for tents and food. Tried to go to C3 again to deposit food and bring down broken tents and excess oxygen. 4 Sherpas to C3 and Nam and 3 Sherpas to C2 on 28 Dec. 31 Dec again all down. Tents and food and gas now in C1, C2 and C3, C4. No C5 planned. Nam in BC till 8 Jan when came to Lukla to meet members there on return from KTM and so to KTM. Leader gone to Korea to get more funds. Now have short time: Icefall's broken now. 30 ladders in BC and need 4-5 days to make Icefall route. Arrived Jan in BC, leaves only 15 days. "I think is very difficult" to complete climb but "I want to go home". Have permit for W Ridge in autumn 1985 and "I want to rest." Leader arrived KTM 22-23 Jan and then is too late but Nam waits for him in KTM to decide to go up or go home. Deputy leader Jeong left expedition because vacation ended. 3 other members also left for Korea on 12 Jan because no longer needed: Jang, Kim and Lee. All remaining members now in KTM except Oh in Korea. When climbing Lhotse face saw 2 dead bodies from distance under South Col. Very strong wind on 14 Dec and one body blown to near C2 through the air; body and tent and rope and old blue sleeping bag: small boots on feet indicating Sherpa and woman. Koreans planned to bring down body at expedition's end. Could see one other body still high up. Nam climbed a little with French during his 8 days "in BC" waiting for permit to go with them; he reached 7000m in early Jan. Shrestha, Tourism - 9 Jan 1985 Leader Oh and Chung Sung-Hun arrived KTM yesterday for further assembly of foods especially high altitude food. Left BC 3 Jan. Oh ordered all other Koreans to return to KTM for maintaining good physical condition and are on the way. 3 arrived today. 5 Sherpas staying in BC and others sent to village homes. Intend to resume climb. 20 Jan leave KTM. Lim Byung-Gil, Nam and 2 Sherpas reached highest altitude 7850m 20 Dec and had to retreat because of strong wind. Oh - 24 Oct 1984 This expedition is our "bed-time dream." For last 3 years 1983 and 1984 in coming 2 years we plan 40 Korean expedition in Nepal Himalaya. Budget $170,000 for this expedition. Total weight baggage 9 metric meters[?]. Hire 26 Sherpas including BC 280 porters; after finish climb we stay C2's, spend 1 week cleaning mountain; hope to climb Everest from Chinese side. Wrote 2 years ago but no reply. Has good belief will get permission because good environment between 2 centres in sports and culture. In North Korea no alpinism. I hoped for N Korea-S Korea mountain relationss in future. Hope for mountaineering cooperation on North Korea Mountain Paiktu (white National), 2777m is highest in all Korea. All members from Yangchung high school. Nam's Everest next Everest climbs - permits Ok 1985 W Ridge from Nepal Winter 1985 - SW Face. I love mountains and climbing and most beautiful is Everest and highest is Everest. I hear someone has climbed Everest 3 times and this world record, but not 3 different routes. I hope make 3 different routes and world record.
Accidents 1 Sherpa hit by falling stone on Lhotse face; 1 Sherpa seriously ill from altitude
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route True
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2448174
Year 1984
Summit Success False
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) s col-se ridge

Members

13 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Seung-Min Park M 1956 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Cameraman (Korean Broadcasting System) Details Other expeditions
Suk-Hoon Chun M 1955 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Office worker, travel agency Details Other expeditions
Beum Jeong M 1948 S Korea Deputy Leader Seoul, S Korea Office worker Details Other expeditions
Sung-Kun Chung M 1955 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Sports reporter (KBS) Details Other expeditions
Suk-Chang Jang M 1955 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Office worker, government Details Other expeditions
Baek-Soo Kim M 1957 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Office worker, construction company Details Other expeditions
Seung-Min Lee M 1959 S Korea Exp Doctor Seoul, S Korea Student, medical Details Other expeditions
Byung-Gil Lim M 1955 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Student, mechanical engineering Details Other expeditions
Sang-Ki Min M 1951 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Cameraman & reporter (Korean Broadcasting System) Details Other expeditions
Sun-Woo Nam M 1955 S Korea Climbing Leader Seoul, S Korea Office worker, travel agency Details Other expeditions
In-Hwan Oh M 1946 S Korea Leader Seoul, S Korea Owner, travel agency Details Other expeditions
Sang-Don Shim M 1954 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Farmer Details Other expeditions
Choe-Un Suk M 1961 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Student, engineering Details Other expeditions

References

4 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
EVER84401 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 59:265 (1985) -
EVER84401 AAJ Cheney, Michael J. & Hawley, Elizabeth - - 60:225 (1986) -
EVER84401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198622501/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Winter-Attempt-1984-5 - - -
EVER84401 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198622501/Asia-Nepal-Everest-Winter-Attempt-1984-5 - - -