Hello, my name is Roger Shepherd, and I’m from Aotearoa–New Zealand. Ko Tararua te maunga.
In 2007, I became the first foreigner to through-hike the Baekdu-daegan, the mountain spine of South Korea. Three years later, I published the first English-language guidebook on hiking the Baekdu-daegan, with a second edition released in 2017.
While working on the first edition, I returned to Korea to hike some of its Jeongmaeks, the branch ridgelines of the Baekdu-daegan. Captivated by Korea’s endless mountains, I decided to take on a new challenge. In December 2010, I left my homeland and founded Hike Korea, a small independent company offering guided hiking experiences across South Korea for international travelers.
Between 2011 and 2019, I had the rare opportunity to explore and photograph the Baekdu-daegan in North Korea, covering over fifty of its peaks across multiple expeditions. That work revealed to me the shared spirit and resilience of the Korean people, north and south. My Baekdu-daegan photography has been exhibited in South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and New Zealand, and I’ve published three editions of a Baekdu-daegan photo-art book. My journeys were also the subject of two MBC TV documentaries filmed in North Korea.
During the COVID-19 years, I turned some of that solitude into creativity—experimenting with oil painting and digital design. These works, inspired by my experiences in both Koreas, explore the landscapes, divisions, and quiet harmonies of the peninsula.
Today, Hike Korea operates from Gurye, near Jirisan National Park, continuing to showcase South Korea as the premier hiking destination in Northeast Asia.
Background
I left high school early to begin an apprenticeship as a car painter, then set off for England to work and travel. Wandering through Europe sparked a deeper curiosity about the world, which eventually led me to southern and eastern Africa.
For nine years, I lived and worked across South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia, developing a career in wildlife management. I worked as a game farm manager, walking safari and fishing guide, and wildlife ranger with Zambia’s National Parks and Wildlife Services—an experience that deeply shaped my understanding of land, people, and wilderness.
Returning to New Zealand, I soon accepted a position as an English language instructor in South Korea, where I first encountered Korea’s extraordinary mountains. That experience planted the seed for everything that followed.
After returning to New Zealand, I joined the New Zealand Police, serving eight years in frontline policing and later in diplomatic protection, providing security for the Prime Minister and visiting world leaders. During that time, I completed a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies at Victoria University’s School of Government.
In 2006, while on extended leave from the Police, I returned to Korea to hike its peaks and ridges—where I discovered the 735 km Baekdu-daegan. That journey changed my life and set me on the path I continue to follow today.
Kia ora.
