Briton detained after attempting to scale Lotte World Tower

Social Affairs

Published: 12 Jun. 2023, 16:53 Updated: 12 Jun. 2023, 17:05

Briton detained after attempting to scale Lotte World Tower

A 24-year-old British man was detained after climbing the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul on Monday morning. Police identified the man as climber George King-Thompson. [SONGPA FIRE STATION]

A British man was detained after attempting to scale the world’s fifth-tallest building in southern Seoul on Monday.

The 24-year-old, identified as free climber George King-Thompson, began climbing the exterior of the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul at around 5 a.m. Monday, according to Songpa Police Precinct and Lotte Property & Development.

He was reported to authorities after a security guard discovered him and called the police at around 7:50 a.m. to tell them that “a foreigner is crawling up the tower wearing only underwear.”

Authorities set up a safety air cushion after arriving at the site at around 8:03 a.m.

Some 93 personnel were dispatched to the site for the rescue.

The 24-year-old continued going up the building even after the police and fire authorities arrived at the site, reaching the 72nd floor, about 309 meters (1,014 feet) high, at around 8:47 a.m.

The 123-story Lotte World Tower is about 555 meters tall.

After flying a drone, authorities identified the man as a foreigner at around 8:50 a.m. The man was climbing up the building with only his shorts on and a backpack with his wireless earphones, according to photos captured of him.

Rescuers advised the free climber to take a gondola lift from the 73rd floor. After taking the lift, he was brought to the 123rd floor. The climber eventually went inside the tower at around 9:01 a.m. and was taken into custody immediately.

Police are investigating his motives for climbing after detaining him on trespassing charges.

A 24-year-old British man climbs up the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul on Monday morning, captured by a person in the building. [NEWS1]

According to police, the accused testified he came to Korea three days ago to climb and parachute off the Lotte World Tower, having planned the madcap scheme around six months ago.

He stayed in a motel for a day and slept in the streets for two days before climbing up the building on Monday, police said.

King-Thompson was previously jailed for climbing up the Shard in the United Kingdom in 2019, according to British media. He was sentenced to six months in 2019 and was released after serving half his sentence.

This was not the first time that a foreigner was caught climbing up the same tower in southern Seoul without approval.

Climber Alain Robert, famously known as the “French Spider-Man” was taken into custody in 2018 after scaling the Lotte World Tower. The 61-year-old climbed up to the 75th floor without a rope and was questioned on charges of business obstruction.

BY JEONG HYE-JEONG, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]