Translation result
Lee Beom-sik (61), known as the “Left-Foot Doctor,” lost both arms and his right leg in an electrocution accident and will attempt to summit Hallasan on Jeju Island on the 28th.
At 22, while working as an electrician, he was electrocuted by high-voltage power and lost both arms and his right leg. He uses a prosthetic on his right leg. Despite deep despair and setbacks, he held on to hope, overcame numerous hardships, enrolled in college at 47 as a mature student, and—after ten years—earned a Ph.D. from Daegu University’s graduate school. He now delivers lectures nationwide, a life many describe as a triumph of the human spirit.
As part of South Korea’s national hope-walk project “Connecting Paths” (길을 잇다), he will attempt an early-morning ascent of Hallasan, which rises to 1,947 m (about 6,389 ft), on the 28th. He plans to take the Seongpanak route (9.6 km [about 6.0 miles])—Seongpanak to Jindallaebat to the summit and back—and expects the climb to take roughly nine hours. The goal is to demonstrate that people with disabilities can undertake such challenges and to send a message of hope to improve public perceptions of disability.
He said, “At 1,947 meters, Hallasan’s elevation and the rocky trail will make it physically and balance-wise difficult for someone like me without arms. Although I am severely disabled, I want to show that the challenge is not impossible and that I can succeed in my own way.” He added that he will avoid dwelling on the danger, because dwelling on it would let fear keep him from trying.
A small group of his regular supporters and sponsors—about seven people—will accompany him on the climb. They plan to document the ascent with video and use the footage for disability-awareness programs, youth character education, lectures, and other educational content.
He began a 31-day, 462 km (about 287.2 miles) walk in July 2024 from Gwanghwamun in Seoul to Gyeongsan in North Gyeongsang Province under the banner of unifying Daegu and Gyeongbuk and improving welfare for people with disabilities. Last July he completed a 400 km (about 248.5 miles) trek on foot from Gwangju to Gyeongju to wish for APEC’s success, and in February this year he walked 140 km (about 87.0 miles) from Daegu to Andong to advocate for Daegu–Gyeongbuk integration.
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