Subscribe
E-Paper
 |
| Kim Hyeongug poses in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Oct.3, 2014. The city was Kim's final destination in his second Eurasia transcontinental journey. / Courtesy of Kim Hyeongug |
By Jhoo Dong-chan
More than 30 million Korean people now travel abroad for different reasons every year. Due to the country's geography and geopolitics, Korean people almost always have to take an airplane when traveling abroad.
"For these reasons, Korean people tend to spend their vacations in places like Europe or Southeast Asia, mostly distant tourist destinations. It's just the same in terms of business," said explorer Kim Hyeongug. He is the first and only Korean to become an official member of the Explorers Club.
The club is an America-based international multidisciplinary professional society that was founded in New York in 1904 to promote scientific exploration and field study. The society granted him full membership in June 1, 2019, for a series of transcontinental journeys he made, crossing Siberia to reach Europe by motorcycle.
"The Korean Peninsula is located at the tail of Eurasia. The 12,000-kilometer-long Siberia should be full of possibilities and opportunities for Koreans. Unfortunately, we just haven't paid enough attention to it."
Kim first crossed Siberia with a 125cc motorcycle in June 1996. It took about four months to complete the 12,000-kilometer journey from Vladivostok to Moscow.
"The first trip was challenging," he recalled.
"Russia has built roads across the country now, but the situation was different about 25 years ago. It was just five years after the Soviet Union collapsed when I crossed Siberia with a bike for the first time. Some roads weren't paved enough or blocked by landslides. Most of the area was swamp. I had to sleep on the road several times. It was really difficult to stand being surrounded by a swarm of warble flies when sleeping in the road."
Siberia is well-known for its long, harsh winters, with an average January temperature of minus 25 degrees Celsius.
Kim also made other transcontinental trips in 2014, 2017 and 2019.
"It only takes about an hour by airplane to reach Vladivostok if you're allowed to fly over North Korean airspace. Despite the country's proximity, Korean people, especially young people, are still reluctant to visit Russia," Kim added.
"There are 180 different ethnic groups in the country. Siberia is also full of natural resources. Not only individuals, but also businesses and the government should also pay more attention to the region. There's an old saying in Korea: these who build a castle go under whereas those who pave a road prevail."
