Elderly woman stuck on balcony for 18 hours strings together clothes to seek help

A woman in her 70s strung together multiple pieces of clothing to alert patrol officers after being stranded on her balcony for almost two days.

Seoul Jongno Police Station said Tuesday that Sgt. Yoo Jae-il and senior patrol officer Kim Du-tae rescued the woman from an apartment complex near Dongnimmun Station of Line No. 3 at around 10 a.m. Thursday.

The woman had stepped outside to the balcony to water her plants the previous day when the door automatically locked behind her, leaving her stuck for 18 hours. Her unit was purportedly located on a high floor, as the noise from the street drowned her cries for help, and no one knew that she was in trouble since she lived alone.

To make matters worse, unseasonably chilly weather struck across the country last week, coupled with occasional drizzle and snow in the city during the two days.

Under threat of hypothermia, she strung together clothes that were on the balcony and threw them out to the street. Two police officers from the Jongno Police Station took notice and went to the unit above her, confirmed the emergency and rescued the woman.