National Wolf "Neukgu" to Return as Daejeon O-World Set for Reopening Two Months After Escape

Reopening on June 5

Neukgu Has Also Recovered His Health

The escaped wolf 'Neukgu', who broke out of its enclosure and prompted a ten-day search operation, will soon be seen again by the public.

A wolf named 'Neukgu' who escaped from Daejeon O-World and was captured, recovering while eating ground meat. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On June 3, Daejeon Urban Corporation, which operates O-World, announced that the Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office had sent an official document the previous day granting permission for O-World's reopening.

O-World had closed its doors on April 8 after Neukgu escaped. On April 20, the Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office ordered the facility to suspend zoo operations and required the submission of a corrective action plan and completion report within a month to prevent recurrence. O-World submitted the corrective plan on May 18, and a field inspection on May 29, conducted to verify the implementation of facility improvements, found no issues. As a result, the zoo is set to reopen on June 5.

In the meantime, O-World reinforced the wolf enclosure by adding an extra layer of wire fencing and electric lines, and strengthened the underground area with concrete to address the wolves' burrowing behavior.

Neukgu is also reported to be in good health. At 9:18 a.m. on April 8, Neukgu escaped by digging under the wire fence of the O-World enclosure. On April 14, the wolf evaded authorities after more than five hours of standoff, but was finally captured at 12:44 a.m. on April 17 near the Anyoung Interchange of the Daejeon South Ring Expressway in Jung-gu, Daejeon.

At the time, a fishing hook was found inside Neukgu's body, necessitating emergency surgery. The wolf then received isolated treatment at the zoo hospital and recovered its health, eating ground meat during that time. Now, Neukgu no longer eats ground meat and is healthy enough to eat raw chicken like the other wolves, and it has reportedly been reunited with its family.

Meanwhile, the nearly two-month closure of O-World has resulted in significant losses for on-site businesses. Eleven establishments, including cafes, restaurants, and character shops located within O-World, have also suspended operations since Neukgu's escape.

An adjacent coffee franchise, which drew attention by offering free coffee to search teams during the incident, reportedly has not resumed business either. Daejeon Urban Corporation stated it is conducting a survey to objectively assess the damages incurred by in-house businesses and will review measures that are acceptable to both O-World and the affected vendors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.