The global brand The North Face of Youngone Outdoor announced on the 31st that Kim Young-mi, the leader of the North Face Athlete Team, succeeded in reaching the South Pole.
Kim, a representative mountain climber of South Korea, is active as an explorer under The North Face. In addition to being the first Asian woman to achieve a solo reach to the South Pole, she has also completed the highest peaks on all seven continents at the youngest age in Korea, made the world's first ascent of Mount Amput, and made a solo crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia. In 2022, she was awarded the Sports Order of Merit.
According to The North Face, Kim departed from Hercules Inlet (latitude 80°S, elevation approximately 180m), a coastal area of Antarctica, on the 8th (local time). On the 27th, 50 days after her departure, Kim reached the South Pole (latitude 90°S, elevation approximately 2835m) at 6:44 p.m.
Kim, by becoming the first explorer in the world this season to reach the South Pole, achieved her second 'unsupported and unassisted reach to the South Pole.' She covered a distance of 1,141 kilometers to the South Pole while pulling a sled weighing about 100 kilograms.
After receiving supplies, including food, at the South Pole, Kim plans to head toward Leverett Glacier (latitude 85°S, elevation approximately 80m). She plans to continue her journey for a solo crossing of Antarctica, covering 1,700 kilometers, in early next year.
Sung Ga-eun, vice president of Youngone Outdoor, said, "I congratulate Kim on her solo reach to the South Pole, achieving a great feat that will go down in the history of polar exploration. I wish her success in completing the Antarctic crossing as well," adding, "The North Face will continue to support and cheer on explorers and athletes with outstanding capabilities in various outdoor and sports fields."