A British man has been detained after he climbed more than half way up a 123-story skyscraper in Seoul, South Korea, using only his bare hands.
The man, who has not been identified, was spotted scaling the Lotte World Tower, the world’s fifth-tallest building, on Monday morning. He reached the 72nd floor before he was stopped by security guards and fire fighters.
The man told the authorities that he wanted to climb the tower because he liked it and had no malicious intent. He also said he had no fear of heights and had climbed other buildings before.
The Seoul fire agency said it dispatched more than 90 personnel to the scene, including a helicopter and a drone, to monitor the situation and ensure public safety. The agency said it was considering charging the man with trespassing and violating the disaster management law.
The Lotte World Tower is 555 meters (1,820 feet) tall and has 123 floors above ground and six below. It opened in 2017 and is a landmark of Seoul’s skyline. It houses offices, a hotel, a shopping mall, an observatory and other facilities.
