Oh Eun-sun’s status as the world’s first female mountaineer to scale the third highest mountain experienced yet another set back -- threatening to turn her into a pariah of the climbing world.

Korea’s mountaineer association threw down the hammer Thursday on the 44 year old’s disputed claims that she had successfully scaled all 14 of the Himalayan peaks.

Presided by six of the nation’s top climbers, the Korea Alpine Federation concluded there was not enough proof that confirms Oh’s claims based on reviews of her testimony and photos she had taken at the peak of the 8,586-meter mountain in May of 2009.

The key determining factor in their judgement according to the federation was the photo presented by Oh that she previously stated was taken at the peak of the mountain.

“The topography in the picture, which Oh claims was taken on the mountain, cannot be seen on top of Kanchenjungam,” the KAF said.

It also added that the testimony she had given of her account during her ascent had been “unreliable.”

In response, Oh immediately questioned the credibility of the KAF’s ruling, saying that six of its members in charge of reviewing the case have been on a witch hunt, describing them as a group that have persistently raised suspicions over her success in reaching the top of the mountain.

Oh’s sponsor, Black Yak -- an outdoors apparel and equipment company based in Korea -- said a news conference would be held on an undisclosed date.

“We are currently gathering more evidence that we hope will exonerate Oh from these charges,” said Park Eun-joo, a spokesperson for the company.

Early in April, Basque climber Edurne Pasaban first went public charging Oh of fabricating her exploits.

She told various media there were “many doubts” over some of the expeditions Oh had undertaken -- particularly her scale of the mountains in Annapurna.

According to Pasaban, two Sherpas that had accompanied Oh told her that she failed in her attempt to scale the Kangchenjunga and that they would personally take the responsibility to prove it.

Further helping the validity of Pasaban’s charges was news of Oh’s climb being listed as “disputed” on the unofficial Himalayan database of mountain climbing.

The alteration was made by Elizabeth Hawley, the arbiter of Himalayan mountain climbing records who told AFP earlier this year after a one-on-one with Oh that “(Oh) will be credited for her climb to Kangchenjunga, but the ascent will be marked as disputed.”

She said that the record and the climb will remain disputed until Pasaban withdraws her objections and allegations. Pasaban previously said that she would abide by whatever decision Hawley reached after meeting with Oh.

After Hawley’s interview with Oh about her discrepancies and allegations regarding her ascent of Kangchenjunga, Hawley asked if she had really climbed all fourteen of the 8,000-meter peaks -- the world’s highest mountains.

Oh replied yes and Hawley congratulated her despite the status of the case remaining listed as “disputed.”

However, local media interpreted Hawley’s congratulatory words as official confirmation of her summit of the mountain.

It appears the controversy has become a case of he said/she said or in this case she said/she said between Oh and Pasaban.

By Song Woong-ki