Police in Daegu have detained a 33-year-old man who allegedly tried to open the cabin door of a plane during flight just before landing.

The man, facing charges of violating the Aviation Security Act, is being questioned after he pulled the lever of the plane's emergency exit, causing the door to partially open.

At the time, the plane which departed from Jeju International Airport at 11:49 a.m. on Friday was in the process of landing at Daegu International Airport, just about 250 meters above the tarmac.

Flight attendants were not able to stop the suspect from pulling the exit lever because the plane was about to land.

The lone traveler from Jeju remains tight-lipped about the reason for his action. The police said it is difficult to have a normal conversation with him but vowed to investigate his motives and seek prosecution. They also noted he was not drunk at the time of arrest. 

Twelve of the passengers on the Asiana Airlines flight suffered breathing difficulties due to the incident and were taken to the hospital.