British Man Who Barehandedly Climbed Lotte Tower Sent to Prosecution Without Detention... Charged with Obstruction of Business

George King Thompson (24), a famous British rock climber who climbed the outer wall of Lotte World Tower with his bare hands, has been handed over to the prosecution.

On the 26th, the Songpa Police Station in Seoul announced that Thompson was sent to the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office without detention on charges of obstruction of business.

Thompson is suspected of illegally climbing the west outer wall of Lotte World Tower in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 12th. At the time, the police received a report that "a foreigner is climbing the west side of the tower with bare hands" and dispatched officers. Thompson continued climbing the outer wall even after the police and fire department arrived. He stopped at the 72nd floor, and the police and fire authorities approached him by gondola. Thompson was arrested at the 73rd floor. Lotte World Tower has a total of 123 floors.

Initially, the police arrested Thompson on charges of trespassing. However, since he did not enter the building interior and climbed with bare hands by deceiving security guards and other Lotte World Tower staff, it is known that he was charged with obstruction of business.

Meanwhile, there have been previous cases of people being caught by the police while climbing Lotte World Tower. In June 2018, Alain Robert, a famous French rock climber, was arrested by the police for illegally climbing Lotte World Tower. At that time, the police booked Robert on charges of obstruction of business.