Instructor Lee Dae-ho first skydived in 2004, when he was serving as an officer in a special forces unit. It took him just one jump to realize that nothing made him feel as free as when he jumps out of a plane at 13,000 feet.

“Since then, skydiving has become my passion,” the 34-year-old skydiver told The Korea Herald. After he was discharged from service last year, he became an instructor to continue his favorite activity.

At Seoul Skydiving School, he meets many students who share the same passion. People of all ages and professions come to the school, ranging from students and mechanics to lawyers and professors, he explained. He remembered a particular university student who worked many part-time jobs during his vacation to earn money for tuition.

In Korea, it is not easy to learn how to skydive. The Accelerated Free Fall program, which is the basic program to become a qualified skydiver, costs 3.5 million won ($3,100). The airspace for diving is limited in Korea, because skydivers can jump only in civilian airspace with no flight path. That leaves a few spots such as Misari Motorboat Racing Park in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, Goheung Aerospace Center in South Jeolla Province and Yecheon Astro-Space Center in North Gyeongsang Province.

Lee’s lifelong goal is to popularize skydiving in Korea. “Nowadays skydiving is an expensive pastime that is not readily accessible. But 10 years ago, sports such as golf and skiing were considered luxury sports too. Today, they have become everyday sports. In the near future, skydiving will become accessible as well,” Lee predicted.

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of people who show interest in skydiving, according to Lee. Currently there are 10 civilian skydiving teams in Korea, who enter the annual Special Warfare Commander Competition for military and civilian skydivers. There are some colleges that plan to open a skydiving major as early as March 2014, according to Lee. As the activity is popularized, costs will fall and more drop zones will be developed, Lee hoped.

“In the U.S., there is even a team of elderly parachutists who are 65 to 80 years old. I have seen 20 to 30 members performing airborne formations,” Lee said, emphasizing that skydiving is a safe sport.

Movies tend to depict skydiving as a hazardous activity, and many people think there is a high possibility of a fatal parachute malfunction. But in reality, 90 percent of all skydiving injuries occur while landing after a safe descent.

Of that figure, 90 percent of the accidents occur to divers who have jumped 300-500 times, according to Lee. Accidents happen to experienced skydivers who take risks, not novices who follow safety regulations well, Lee explained.

And there is nothing as exciting as skydiving. “No other sport allows you to soar through the air like skydiving does,” Lee emphasized.

“Flying through the clouds, taking in the scenery around and below you is like magic. There is nothing like it.”

By Lee Sang-ju (sjlee370@heraldcorp.com)