A ski resort in Wonsan where skis were not the only form of transportation, circa 1930s / Robert Neff Collection

While winter is often associated with cold blustery winds, traffic delays and treacherous ice, it is also one of the most breathtaking seasons — especially when the drabness of the urban landscape is covered under a pristine blanket of brilliant white snow. For many, the snow awakens the nostalgia of our childhood — the urge to build snowmen, make snow angels and have snowball fights with our friends and family. For the more adventurous, the snow-covered mountain slopes beckon, ready to be conquered by sleds, snowboards and skis.

The origins of skiing in Korea remain somewhat uncertain. Some claim that modern skiing began near Wonsan, now in North Korea’s Kangwon Province, in 1904 (or 1923, depending on the source), when two Finnish merchants purportedly used skis to traverse the rugged mountainous terrain. Others argue that American missionaries in the port during the 1910s were the true pioneers of skiing in Korea.

While there may be a faint shadow of truth in these claims, the history of skiing in Korea stretches back far earlier than the 20th century, as evidenced by the discovery of a pair of ancient skis (known as fourth-century northern skis) by a Japanese officer in South Hamgyong Province in 1911 or 1912.

Even some of the American missionaries suggested that Korea had a long history of skiing. In 1917, one such missionary described the northern mountains as inhospitable, noting that “the houses were roofed with birch bark loaded down with stones.” According to him, the fields were free of snow for only one month each year, and the only........

© The Korea Times