"Beware of Wild Boars in Seoul City"

Seoul City Produces and Distributes Response Guidelines

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 27th that, following a series of incidents involving wild boars appearing in urban areas, it has created “Behavior Guidelines for Encounters with Wild Boars” and posted them on Seoul’s parks and the official Seoul city blog. Additionally, promotional materials (leaflets) were distributed in areas where wild boars have been sighted.

As of the end of November this year, the total number of wild boar captures around Seoul’s urban areas reached 155, marking an increase of over 70% compared to the previous year. Therefore, it is necessary for the general public to familiarize themselves with the behavior guidelines in case they encounter wild boars within the city.

By capture location, a total of 109 wild boars were captured in Bukhansan National Park and adjacent areas, accounting for more than 70% of the total. Hence, residents of Dobong, Gangbuk, Seongbuk, Jongno, and Eunpyeong districts are urged to exercise particular caution.

In July, Seoul requested the Ministry of Environment, which manages Bukhansan National Park, to strengthen wild boar capture activities. Seoul has also independently installed 13 km of fencing and 104 capture traps in mountainous areas to prevent wild boars from entering urban zones. Special wild boar mobile capture teams operate in each autonomous district to carry out capture operations.

Furthermore, to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), all captured wild boars undergo thorough testing. To date, no ASF-infected animals have been found within the city. A city official stated, “The winter breeding season is a period when male wild boars become especially active, and they sometimes appear in urban areas. We ask citizens to be particularly vigilant.”

Accordingly, to help citizens avoid panic and safely evade wild boars, behavior guideline leaflets have been produced and distributed to 12 districts where wild boars have been sighted. Related information has also been posted on city parks and the official Seoul city blog.

Generally, if you encounter a wild boar, it is advised to ▲remain calm and observe the wild boar’s movements without sudden motions, ▲seek cover behind nearby trees or other concealments, ▲and if an attack seems imminent, move to higher ground or protect yourself with items such as a bag.

Depending on the situation, ▲hikers should stay on designated trails, ▲drivers should pay attention to “Wildlife Crossing” signs and navigation alerts for “roadkill” incidents and drive cautiously, and ▲pedestrians encountering wild boars should evacuate behind nearby structures or to higher ground and promptly report the sighting to 112 or 119 emergency services.

Yoo Young-bong, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Green City and Leisure Bureau, stated, “While taking measures to prevent wild boars from entering urban areas, we are also promoting citizen awareness of behavior guidelines to prevent accidents. We will ensure thorough preparation for citizen safety by urging autonomous districts to enact related ordinances and subscribe to safety insurance to minimize damage and enhance safety measures in case unavoidable incidents occur.”

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