South Korea: A British man is detained by the police for free climbing a South Korean skyscraper
By Ahmad Hadizat Omayoza, Mamos Nigeria
According to police, a British man has reportedly been arrested in South Korea after attempting to climb the country’s tallest skyscraper without equipment. He was previously imprisoned for free climbing the Shard in London.
The man was scaling the 123-story Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul almost immediately Monday when staff spotted him, driving him to stop his rising as he arrived at the 73rd floor.
Neighborhood media recognized him as George Ruler Thompson, 24, from Oxford, known beforehand for doing risky tricks and publicizing them via web-based entertainment.
An official from the National Police Agency stated, “Lotte staff had to go on a gondola lift to persuade him to stop when he was still climbing above the building’s 70th floor.” He eventually caved in, and we took him into custody on the spot for obstructing official business. He is as of now being addressed at a police headquarters in Seoul’s Songpa region.”
The Lotte World Tower is the sixth tallest building in the world at 1,820 feet and 555 meters.
It was reported that all he was wearing were shorts, climbing shoes, and a small backpack.
The Times reported that King had stated in a prepared press release prior to the climb that he hoped to “evade Korean authorities and get on a flight out of the country, immediately after performing the stunt.”
When he was sentenced to six months in Pentonville prison in July 2019 for scaling the Shard, the former personal trainer made headlines. He was released after serving half of his sentence.
He has since climbed the 36-story Stratosphere tower in Stratford, east London, and reportedly was arrested in Spain in 2022 for base-jumping off Europe’s tallest roller coaster.
He was spotted scaling the Lotte World Tower on Monday morning, according to the Seoul fire agency, and more than 90 emergency personnel, police officers, and other personnel were sent there.
According to the Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo, trespassing was the basis for his arrest by the police. According to reports, he entered South Korea three days ago and told police that he had long wanted to scale the Lotte Tower.
Alain Robert, also known as the “French Spiderman,” was sentenced to prison in 2018 for illegally scaling the same structure. He climbed to the 75th story.
