Two Russian BASE jumpers face charges of housebreaking in S. Korea

SEOUL -- Two Russian extreme sportsmen were interrogated by South Korean police on charges of housebreaking after they used ram-air parachutes to jump off high-rise buildings for an aerial stunt called "BASE jumping" in the southern port city of Busan ahead of a crucial diplomatic event to be attended by leaders from Southeast Asian nations.

Police said the two Russian BASE jumpers were caught in a quest house in Busan for questioning. They were not formally arrested but face charges of trespassing that carries a maximum sentence of three years or a fine of up to five million won ($4,292). A 10-day travel ban was imposed for an investigation.

The two were accused of jumping off two high-rise buildings, including a 42-story hotel, in a seaside district in the port city Busan on November 9 and the following day. They entered South Korea on November 6 for an unrealized attempt to jump off a 101-story building, which is 413 meters high, in Busan's Haeundae district.

The stunt came as police were on alert in Busan, the venue for a South Korea-ASEAN summit on November 25~26 and the inaugural Mekong summit on November 27 that involves South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia.

Due to lower altitudes, BASE jumping is more dangerous than skydiving from a plane. In some countries, BASE jumping is regarded as a fringe extreme sport or stunt. BASE jumping is generally not illegal in most places. However, the legal position is different in cases such as building and antenna jumps. Jumpers can be punished for trespassing, reckless endangerment, or other charges.