A South Korean tourist was found dead while climbing Mount Agung, Bali. The Joint SAR team found the body of the victim Kyung Dam Oh (31) lifeless at an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level on Friday, January 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
“SRU 1, which moved from Pasar Agung Temple at around 07.00 a.m., saw the victim’s body face down while sweeping the Pasar Agung hiking trail. The position of the body is approximately 100 meters below,” said I Nyoman Sidakarya, Head of the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office, quoted from the statement on the Instagram account @basarnas_bali.
In a different upload, Sidakarya said that they received information on the South Korean tourist’s disappearance on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at approximately 11:45 a.m.
The South Korean tourist reportedly contacted his friend in South Korea at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
This led to the temporary closure of access to Mount Agung from the Pasar Agung Temple, Karangasem, Bali, as a South Korean climber, Kyung Dam Oh, was found dead while climbing in the area.
Pasar Agung temple spokesperson, I Wayan Suara Arsana, said that the temple management will hold a Parisudha Gumi ceremony.
“Climbing to Mount Agung through the Pasar Agung Temple route has been closed since yesterday, January 3, 2025, and will be reopened if the Parisudha Gumi ceremony is completed,” Suara Arsana said, as reported by detiknews.
The Coordinator of the Karangasem Search and Rescue Post, I Gusti Ngurah Eka Wiadnyana added that the position of the body when found was upside down with the head down and the feet up. “A fall likely caused the death,” he said.
The joint SAR team then evacuated the body to Pasar Agung Post. At 12.40 p.m, the body of the Korean tourist was taken to Karangasem Regional Hospital using an ambulance.
Authorities conducted the victim search since Thursday, January 2, 2025, following information from the South Korean Consulate in Bali.
The search process was stopped because of heavy rain and thick fog on the highest mountain on Bali Island.
Parisudha Gumi ceremony performed to cleanse energy from Mount Agung
The ceremony was held by local residents to spiritually cleanse Mount Agung.
According to Suara Arsana, Kyung Dam Oh’s family will bear the entire cost of the purification ceremony. This is because the 31-year-old South Korean man climbed to the top of Mount Agung without being accompanied by a local guide.
Suara Arsana said a different treatment would result if the climber had a local guide. If something happens and he dies, the guide and the Pura Pasar Agung temple will bear the responsibility.
“I want to make it clear, if you ride alone, then you are responsible if something happens. If accompanied by a guide, it is our responsibility if something happens. The cost of the cleaning ceremony can reach IDR 60 million,” said Suara Arsana.
He does not know for sure when the Parisudha Gumi ritual at Pasar Agung Temple will be held.
