Alpine Culture Center

[Anchor Lead]

Developers have broken ground on a new alpine cultural center. The center seeks to honor the spirit of world renowned mountaineer Park Young-seok who went missing in the Himalayan Annapurna Circuit with his team members five years ago.

[Pkg]

A record of climbing 14 Himalayan peaks over 8,000 meters high... climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents... and also conquering the South and North Poles. Korean climber Park Young-seok was the first in the world to achieve this amazing accomplishment called the Explorers or Adventurers Grand Slam in 2005. However in 2011, he went missing in the Himalayan Annapurna Circuit while charting out a new route on the south face with his team members.

[Soundbite] Late Park(Last Correspondence before Disappearance) : "In this weather, camping is impossible.We will pull out for now."

What's called the "Park Young-seok alpine cultural center" has broken ground. The center seeks to honor his characteristic frontier spirit. The center whose exterior resembles a mountain peak will display Park's climbing equipment. It will also house interactive facilities for visitors including an artificial rock climbing wall.

[Soundbite] Hong Gyeong-hee(Park's wife) : "I'm moved and touched by the center's groundbreaking. Thank you."

Park had also led a climbing trip with the physically challenged. He also took college students on a cross country march.

[Soundbite] Late Park Young-seok(Feb. 24, 2011) : "As long as I'm alive, I think I'll continue to rise up to the challenge and never give up even if there's just 1% possibility."

The center being constructed in his name will be completed by December 2017.