KFS breaks ground on mountaineering museum
The Korea Forest Service has begun construction on a national museum dedicated to the country’s mountaineering culture and climbers on an edge of Mount Seorak in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, on the east coast.
The ground-breaking ceremony was held on Nov. 25 toward completion by early 2014. The museum, tentatively named the “ National Mountaineering Museum,” will have three floors and one underground on 36,365 square meters of land. Its construction is expected to cost about 15 billion won (US$13.7 million), which will be entirely covered by state coffers.
Korea has a strong mountaineering tradition, with its geological features defined by the Baekdu Daegan mountain range that spans across the Korean Peninsula. The country has produced five mountaineers who have reached all of the world’s highest 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 meters high above sea level.
The museum’s third floor will provide a permanent exhibition on the nation’s renowned mountain climbers and the history and culture of Korean mountaineering. Its first and second floors are expected to feature visual and educational facilities .