A South Korean inmate serving time in the Philippines allegedly came up with an extraordinary plan to break out of prison, by attaching himself to a drone.
The escape attempt involving 47-year-old Park Wang-yeol was reportedly foiled after footage of a trial run carried out by one of his associates exposed the scheme.
Park is said to have spent about US$74,000 (RM299,360) on the plan, involving the use of a drone to lift him out of the prison.
He has been serving a 60-year prison sentence imposed in 2022 for the murder of three South Korean nationals at a sugarcane plantation outside Bacolod City in 2016.
South Korean broadcaster JTBC reported that the unusual escape plan was drawn up earlier this year, shortly before Park was temporarily sent back to South Korea in March.
His temporary extradition was linked to charges involving the importation of 4.8kg of methamphetamine.
The plan never got off the ground after footage recorded during a training exercise reportedly gave away the plot.
The recording allegedly captured an associate testing the proposed method of using a drone to carry Park out of the prison.
It was also not Park’s first brush with escaping custody.
He had reportedly managed to flee from authorities twice before, in 2017 and 2019, on both occasions while being transported back from court proceedings.
Park remains in South Korea following his temporary extradition in March, where he is facing the drug-related charges.—Sept 16, 2026
Main image: Sinar Harian
