14-Year-Old Student Bitten and Paralyzed While Attempting an 'Illegal Trade' in a Cobra; Airlifted to Hospital

Illegally purchased and kept through an online community

Police investigating transaction involving an animal prohibited from sale and possession

A middle school student in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, was bitten on the back of his hand by a highly venomous cobra kept at home and airlifted to a hospital. Police are investigating how the cobra was purchased and kept, and whether there was anything illegal about the transaction.

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According to the North Chungcheong Fire Headquarters and the Cheongju Cheongwon Police Station, a report was received at around 11:25 p.m. on October 20 that A, a 14-year-old boy, had been bitten on the back of his hand by a cobra at an apartment in Seowon-gu, Cheongju.

About 40 minutes after the report, paramedics took A to Chungbuk National University Hospital. However, the hospital said it could provide treatment but could not admit him, making another transfer necessary.

The emergency response center then contacted 15 hospitals to ask whether they could receive him. A National Fire Agency helicopter was used to transport A to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at around 2:20 a.m. on October 21.

A received treatment at the Armed Forces Capital Hospital and is reportedly not in any life-threatening condition.

Police determined that the snake that bit A was a forest cobra. Also known as a "black cobra" or "black-lipped cobra," it is highly venomous. A reportedly purchased the cobra through an online community and had been keeping it at home.

Police believe A was bitten while trying to trade the cobra to another person and are investigating the circumstances in detail.

A police official said, "Cobras are designated as animals whose sale and keeping are prohibited under laws including the Wildlife Protection and Management Act. We are investigating how the cobra was traded and kept."

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