From a few hiking clubs to a national sensation

As of the late 1960s, no leisure or sports products were made in Korea. Mountain climbers wore military boots and uniforms and used tents handed down from U.S. soldiers who stayed in the country. Hikers in military pants were a common sight in the mountains. Yet climbing enthusiasts were never satisfied with this makeshift equipment. They were even willing for pay high prices for hiking equipment imported by individual merchants.

Against this backdrop, Kolon, then a business-to-business textile maker, created Kolon Corporation in 1968 and jumped into the consumer market. Developing its own hiking equipment together with partner firms, Kolon Corporation launched tents, backpacks and vests adorned with a pigeon logo in 1970. Its products first went on sale at Kolon Arcade in Mugyo-dong, Seoul. Three years later in 1973 the company ditched the pigeon and adopted its now famous double pine trees, symbolizing evergreen natural beauty.

Hikers loved Kolon’s new products, but they were a financial flop since at the time, there simply weren’t enough Koreans who enjoyed leisure sports. In addition, it was difficult for the company to manage its inventory because producing comprehensive “hiking equipment” meant involving itself in too many different product groups. Among insiders, rumors circulated that the leisure sports business was on the brink of being suspended. However, Kolon’s honorary president Lee Dong-chan, who was a big fan of hiking, kept the division running.

“Leisure sports are a promising business that have the potential to grow in the future,” President Lee reportedly said. He also emphasized, “We should not allow foreign brands to take our place, especially when hiking becomes a national sport.”

Advice from enthusiastic hikers played a big role in overcoming those hard times. The company’s factory in Bomun, Seoul, served as a safe haven for many hikers including members of Mountain Villa, a club at Seoul High School in the 1970s. The current principal of Kolon Alpine School, Lee Yong-dae, was one of the club’s members. They frequented the factory with a variety of ideas for new equipment. They were eager to talk about the strengths and weaknesses of imported brands and exchanged information about new products. Mountain Villa members even designed backpacks themselves and proposed them to Kolon. To tap into this community, President Lee established the Kolon Alpine School in 1985 to teach and promote hiking systematically.

Since the leisure sports business finally began to boom after the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Kolon Sport has been growing, with an annual sales up 20 to 30 percent to reach 320 billion won ($287 million) last year.

By Choi Ji-young [ebusiness@joongang.co.kr]