South Koreans breathe sighs of relief as escaped wolf is returned to zoo safely

The South Korean internet erupted in celebration as a wolf that escaped from a zoo in South Korea was captured safely after a nine-day search that kept the nation on edge.

SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean internet erupted in celebration as a 2-year-old wolf that escaped from a zoo in South Korea was captured safely Friday after a nine-day search that kept the nation on edge and made it a national celebrity.

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The male wolf, named Neukgu, burrowed out of his enclosure at the O-World zoo in Daejeon on April 8, prompting a search that gripped the nation and raised fears about his safety. Animal rights activists questioned whether the wolf could survive outside the zoo and also worried it might be killed during capture, something that happened to a puma that escaped from the same zoo in 2018.

Intense national concern even prompted President Lee Jae Myung to make a statement reassuring the public that the police, fire officials and the military were doing their best to capture the wolf alive.