South Korean man facing up to 10 years in prison after opening airplane door in midair

An Asiana Airlines flight that had its emergency door opened midair.
(Image credit: Yun Kwan-shick / Yonhap / AP Photo)

A South Korean man who opened an airplane's emergency exit door in midair was arrested Sunday, law enforcement said, and faces up to 10 years in prison.

The unidentified 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly violating South Korea's aviation security law, The Associated Press reported. According to police, the man admitted to opening the door because he "felt suffocated" and wanted to get off the plane. A warrant had previously been issued for his arrest after prosecutors reportedly worried that he could try and flee before his trial.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.