Half of South Korean pilots 'nervous' about Lotte Tower

Dec. 17 (UPI) -- More than half of South Korean air force pilots say a glitzy 123-story glass tower in Seoul could be an obstacle in the event of a mission, according to a recent survey.

South Korea's board of audit and inspection said in a report published Monday 54 of 100 pilots interviewed in May are nervous about Lotte World Tower when they must move clockwise, local paper Segye Ilbo reported.

Pilots fly from the top left and move clockwise to get information on airspeed and altitude, and to check whether a plane's fuselage is aligned with the direction of the flight.

More than 50 percent of respondents said they felt at least "slightly anxious" about turning because of the tower. Of those who expressed unease, 13 pilots said their anxiety ranked 3, or above the average of 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 5.

Pilots who operate out of Seoul Air Base expressed opposition to the construction of the tower in 2009, citing safety concerns. Former President Lee Myung-bak dismissed the concerns after government auditors claimed the tower would not interfere with flight safety.

Lotte Tower was completed in 2017. It is one of the 10 tallest buildings in the world.

Seoul did make some adjustments to prepare for the tower construction. In response to safety concerns, the air force changed the direction of the base's east runway by about three degrees, according to Segye Ilbo.

Lotte is one of South Korea's biggest conglomerates and provided land to the government for the installment of THAAD, a U.S. missile defense system, in 2016.

The company continues to build tall buildings. Forbes reported last week subsidiary Lotte Tour is eyeing a site in Jeju Island.

The plan is to build a 38-story building to house a casino and attract foreign visitors, according to the report.