Posthumous Award of the Government Sports Medal 'Cheongryongjang' Confirmed for Late Captain Kim Hong-bin

First Person with Disabilities to Summit the Highest Peaks of All 7 Continents and Complete 14 Peaks Over 8000m

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 3rd that the government sports medal ‘Cheongryongjang’ has been posthumously awarded to Expedition Leader Kim Hong-bin, who suffered an accident while descending after summiting Broad Peak in the Himalayas.

After a solo climb of Denali in North America in 1991, Kim lost all ten fingers to frostbite. Nevertheless, on the 18th of last month, he reached the summit of Broad Peak, becoming the first person with disabilities to complete the highest peaks of the seven continents and all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters, earning recognition as a symbol of human triumph and being posthumously awarded the Cheongryongjang.

The ‘Cheongryongjang’ is the highest grade sports medal awarded to athletes who have made significant contributions to the development of sports, enhancing the status of national sports and contributing to national development.

Among mountaineers, recipients include Um Hong-gil (61), the ninth person in the world to complete all 14 Himalayan peaks; Kim Mi-gon (49), who completed all 14 Himalayan peaks; and the late Captain Kim Chang-ho, who succeeded in climbing all 14 Himalayan peaks without supplemental oxygen.

Gwangju City has supported accident recovery activities and recommended to related government departments such as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety that the indomitable mountaineer Kim Hong-bin be posthumously awarded the sports medal ‘Cheongryongjang,’ cooperating with related administrative matters.

The medal awarding ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is scheduled to be held on the 4th at Yeomju Gymnasium.

Government officials including Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee and Deputy Mayor Kim Jong-hyo are expected to attend.

Meanwhile, Captain Kim Hong-bin’s funeral will be held as a ‘mountaineer’s funeral’ from the 4th to the 8th in the lobby on the first floor of Yeomju Gymnasium, with the farewell ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. on the 8th.

An online memorial altar is being operated on the Gwangju City website, and the farewell ceremony will be broadcast live online.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.