A 52-year-old Taiwanese mountain climber reached the summit of Vinson Massif in Antarctica on Dec. 3, becoming the first Taiwanese to reach the summit of the highest mountains on all seven continents.
Kuo Yu-chen (
In Taiwan, climbing the nation's "top 100 peaks" is regarded as the highest honor in mountaineering, whereas climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents is considered the biggest international mountaineering challenge.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KUO YU-CHEN
Kuo was not famous when he first started mountain climbing in 2003, but after climbing the nation's top 100 peaks within six months and then hiking the length of the Central Mountain Range in 23 days -- beating the previous record by 10 days -- he gained the attention of the nation's media.
Kuo said that between 2004 and 2005 he was completely devoted to preparing for the seven summits expedition. During that year, he traveled abroad to purchase customized mountaineering equipment and to attend a number of international mountain climbing courses.
After reaching the top of Mount Everest on May 20 of last year, Kuo went on to climb Mount McKinley - also known as Denali - in North America, followed by an August expedition to Mount Elbrus in Europe and then Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa the following month.
This year he summited South America's Aconcagua in February and then Puncak Jaya or Mount Carstensz on the island of New Guinea -- the highest mountain in the Australia-New Guinea continent -- in August before climbing to the summit of Vinson Massif in Antarctica earlier this month at temperatures of minus 30oC.
Kuo said that every time he heard the base camp announce "Kuo Yu-chen of Taiwan has successfully reached the summit," he became emotional and would wave a national flag at the peak to express his pride in being Taiwanese.
He also said that climbing a mountain was like going to war as he had to sign an agreement at the request of each local government pertaining to how he wanted his body handled in case he died during the expedition.
Kuo said that of the seven summits, the most dangerous experience was crossing a 60m gorge on Puncak Jaya on a single cable. Kuo said that while standing on the single cable in the strong wind, his only thought was to try to escape the claws of death. He said he thanked the local mountain god and his family's prayers and offerings for survival.
Kuo has prepared all the required documents to register his accomplishment with the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation in Switzerland.
Up to now, only 89 people in the world have climbed the highest mountains on all of the seven continents, so Kuo will rank among the world's top 100 climbers. He estimates that he spent more than NT$10 million (US$300,000) on training and equipment.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS