A wolf’s dramatic escape from a South Korean zoo has become an international sensation, drawing attention from the country’s president and even inspiring the creation of a digital currency bearing the animal’s name.
The 77-pound male wolf named Neukgu managed to break free from O-World zoo in Daejeon by digging beneath a fence barrier on Wednesday morning, according to zoo representatives. The approximately two-year-old animal has remained at large for three days despite extensive search efforts.
Authorities have mobilized more than 100 searchers, including fire department personnel, law enforcement officers, and military members to locate the missing wolf. Search teams have deployed drones equipped with heat-detecting cameras to aid in the hunt, city officials confirmed Friday.
As a safety measure, a local elementary school temporarily shut down while the search continues in the area.
The incident has reached the highest levels of government, with President Lee Jae Myung addressing the situation on social media platform X. In his Thursday post, which garnered over 1,400 shares, he expressed his concerns for public safety while also showing compassion for the animal.
“I hope no human casualties occur, and I pray that Neukgu also returns home safely,” the president wrote.
The wolf’s escape in Daejeon, located roughly 105 miles south of Seoul, has sparked widespread public fascination and online engagement. Internet communities have rallied around the story, with an English-language social media group dedicated to the wolf attracting nearly 500 members.
Perhaps most surprisingly, the incident has entered the cryptocurrency world with the launch of a digital token called “Neukgu” on decentralized trading platforms such as PumpSwap. The meme coin has generated approximately $140,000 in trading activity over the past day.
Neukgu, born in 2024, plays an important role in conservation efforts as part of a program aimed at bringing back the Korean wolf, a species that no longer exists in the wild.
This escape joins a series of notable zoo breakouts in South Korea, including a 2023 incident where a zebra roamed Seoul’s streets for several hours before being recaptured.
