Desperate To Climb The Fifth Highest Building In The World With Empty Hands, This British Man Was Secured By Seoul Police

Lotte World Tower Seoul, South Korea. (Wikimedia Commons/Chungdahmnerd)

JAKARTA - A British free climber was detained last Monday, after reaching the 72nd floor of South Korea's tallest skyscraper in Seoul by climbing the outside empty-handed, police said.

The 24-year-old, identified as George King-Thompson, began climbing the 123-story Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul at around 05.00 local time, before security officers found him around 07.50 and called the police, saying foreigners were climbing the outside wall of the building.

Police and rescue workers arrived at the scene at 8:03 a.m. and put on an aerial safety mattress to prepare for a possible fall. However, he continued to climb and reach the 72nd floor of the building as high as 555 meters, the fifth-highest building in the world, at 8:47 p.m., reported the Korea Times June 12.

He was then allowed to take a gondola-like elevator, known as the utilities of building management, and escorted into the tower through the hole of the smoke ventilation system. He was immediately detained by the police waiting for him inside.

He was not injured, but showed signs of fatigue, police said.

King-Thompson told police he entered South Korea three days ago for BASE jumping, meaning he jumped from buildings, antennas, spans or other highlands using a wing suit or parachute.

He also said climbing Lotte World Tower and sliding from its peak was a long dream, while he had planned the climb six months ago.

Police arrested him on charges of entry without permission, after confirming he climbed the building without permission from the Lotte World Tower authorities.

Prior to last week, he was also jailed after climbing Shard, the UK's tallest building with a height of 310 meters and 72 floors in 2019.

Meanwhile, French climber Alain Robert, also known as "French Spider-Man", was arrested in 2018 for climbing Lotte World Tower without permission. At that time, he climbed up to 75th floor.