Briton fined for attempt to scale Lotte World Tower

A 24-year-old British man, identified as climber George King-Thompson, was detained after climbing the Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul on June 12. [SONGPA FIRE STATION]

A Briton who tried to scale the world’s fifth-tallest building last month earned a fine for his efforts.

Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office on Monday ordered free climber George King-Thompson to pay a fine for obstructing management and security at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, southern Seoul.

Prosecutors did not disclose the exact amount of the penalty.

The 24-year-old climbed the better part of the tower on the morning of June 12.

He was on the 72nd floor of the 123-story skyscraper when authorities ordered him onto a gondola lift that took him to an opening on the 73rd floor, where police arrested him for trespassing.

The Lotte World Tower is about 555 meters (1,820 feet) tall.

Police passed King-Thompson's case to the prosecution last month, charging him with business obstruction instead of trespassing as the free climber technically did not trespass since he stayed on the exterior of the tower.

King-Thompson told the police that he came to Korea to parachute off the Lotte World Tower as “flying off the tower was his long-held dream.”

He planned the scheme six months ago and arrived in Korea three days before he was taken into custody.

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

The Briton wasn't the first person taken into custody for trying to scale Lotte World Tower without authorization.

Climber Alain Robert, known as “the French Spider-Man,” was apprehended by the police in 2018.

However, the 61-year-old was not penalized as Lotte Property & Development said it did not want to punish the man.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO, LEE JI-YOUNG [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]