Public Zoo Council Launched in the Wake of Wolf ‘Neukgu’ Escape

A nationwide council of public zoos is being launched in the wake of an incident last month in which a wolf named ‘Neokgu’ escaped from Daejeon OWorld Zoo and later returned. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said on the 5th that it will hold a launch meeting on the 6th at the Korea Institute of Public Affairs in Junggu, Seoul, with officials from the ministry and the National Institute of Ecology, the Korea Zoo and Aquarium Association, and directors of public zoos in attendance. The council plans to review how prepared each public zoo is to meet the permit requirements under the Zoo and Aquarium Act, and to discuss ways to improve facilities, staffing, and operations. The government’s policy is to ensure that more than 90% of all zoos meet the permit requirements by December 2027.