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First responders rescue man on top of Gangnam high-rise

Published: 13 May. 2025, 20:45

Police officers and rescue workers approach a man threatening to jump from the rooftop of a building near Gangnam Station on subway line No. 2 in Seoul on May 13. [YONHAP]

A young man was rescued after attempting to jump from the rooftop of a 15-story building near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul on Tuesday afternoon, following a tense three-hour standoff with emergency responders.

The incident began at around 3:04 p.m., when the man, wearing a black hoodie and jeans, was seen on the rooftop of a high-rise near Line No. 2’s Gangnam Station. He was eventually rescued at 6:32 p.m. by two emergency responders who managed to grab him by the arms and pull him to safety.

A crowd of around 50 people who had gathered near the scene erupted in relief, exclaiming “Thank goodness” and “He’s safe.”

Prior to the incident, the man had posted ominous messages on his Instagram Story around noon, writing in English, “I will livestream the end 2 hours later. Goodbye everyone.” He also linked to a previous post in which he described his experience with urban exploration, or “urbex,” the activity of exploring man-made structures like buildings and bridges.

An Instagram Story uploaded by a young man rescued after attempting to jump from the rooftop of a 15-story building near Gangnam Station in southern Seoul on May 13 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The man recounted being detained and interrogated for 17 hours in China after attempting to climb the 597-meter-tall (1,958-foot-tall) Goldin Finance 117 in Tianjin, saying that moment made him consider quitting. “It was the first time my freedom was taken from me,” he wrote. “A life without urbex feels meaningless.”

Shortly after climbing to the rooftop, he posted another Instagram Story saying, “I was going to go live, but the Wi-Fi isn’t working. Goodbye,” along with a photo of his legs dangling over the edge.

He also shared screenshots of direct messages from followers urging him not to go through with the attempt, writing, “I have no intention of changing my mind.”

Emergency personnel, including police and firefighters, were dispatched to the scene and cordoned off the area. According to fire authorities, 58 personnel and 17 vehicles were deployed, along with seven air mattresses placed around the building.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY OH SO-YEONG [[email protected]]