On Monday, a British man was caught after making it more than halfway up the fifth-tallest skyscraper in the world in Seoul using just his bare hands, according to the authorities.
After the guy was seen Monday morning mounting the 123-story, 555-meter (1,820-foot) Lotte World Tower, more than 90 emergency personnel, police, and other workers were sent to the scene, according to a statement from the Seoul fire department.
A gondola lift was used to get the man, who was in his 20s, inside the building when he reached the 72nd level, which is around 310 meters (1,020 feet) high, according to the statement.
The man was recognized by the South Korean media as free climber George King-Thompson. According to accounts, he informed authorities he planned to jump out of a plane while carrying a parachute.
The man’s identity and motivation were not immediately confirmed by fire and police authorities.
King-Thompson was detained in 2019 after climbing the Shard in London, which at 310 meters (1,017 feet) tall is the highest skyscraper in the United Kingdom.
The building’s owners had filed trespassing charges against him.
He received a six-month prison term, of which he served three.
In 2021, he scaled the 36-story Stratosphere Tower, a residential building in the Stratford district of east London, and did it in under 30 minutes.
He claimed that he chose the structure in order to draw attention to the dangers of climate change after being horrified by the area’s most recent flash floods.
The police acknowledged that they had the suspect in custody but did not offer any other information.
The tower’s operator, Lotte Property & Development, claimed the guy didn’t sustain any serious wounds.
According to the fire agency’s statement, he injured his skin on his right knee.
Known as “Spiderman” for his risky feat, French climber Alain Robert was jailed in 2018 after reaching the 75th story of the Lotte World Tower.
After telling the police they didn’t want to file charges for obstruction or trespassing, Lotte executives claimed they learned he was finally freed and fled South Korea.
The British man’s future was scheduled to be discussed by corporate executives, according to Lotte Property & Development.
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