Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, April 29:

A South Korean mountaineer Han Wang-Yong is in the country to conduct a cleaning campaign

on Mount Dhaulagiri as part of the drive to clean base camps of all the 14 Himalayan peaks above 8,000 metres in Nepal, Pakistan and Tibet. Korean Treks and Expedition is going to provide logistical support. Han, who is the third person to scale 14 Himalayan summits from Korea, and 11th in the world, has led a cleaning expedition to Mt K2. Han’s clean K2 expedition

2004 was able to clean the world’s second highest peak up to the third camp at 7,400 metres and collected three tonnes of garbage. Han has led cleaning campaigns to Mt Everest and Mt Manaslu. He decided to clean up the Himalayas after he scaled 14 peaks over 8,000 metres in 2003.

Han’s Clean Dhaulagiri Campaign 2005 members are in Nepal to clean the world’s sixth tallest peak from April 30 to May 11. “A team of 17 Koreans and 30 Nepalis will spend 12 days in collecting garbage at the base camp and surroundings of the 8167 metre peak,” he said.

“The trash would be brought down to the base camp where biodegradable trash will be burnt and non-biodegradables will be disposed,” Han said. The team also plans to distribute 1,000 ascariasis tablets to cure belly-worms to the locals along the route to Dhaulagiri base camp. A Korean doctor will accompany the team.