“Don’t Walk Alone” — Five Days of Wild Boar Sightings Shock South Korean City

Authorities in Daejeon have issued urgent safety warnings after reports of wild boars appearing in urban areas continued for a fifth consecutive day, alarming residents across multiple districts.

The latest sighting was reported Monday morning in a neighborhood park in Doan-dong, Seo-gu. Emergency responders and district officials rushed to the scene, but the wild boar had already fled before it could be located.

Following the incident, Seo-gu District Office officially designated the park as a Wild Boar Alert Area and sent emergency text messages urging nearby residents to exercise extreme caution.

Wild boar sightings have been escalating throughout Daejeon in recent days. On January 15, two wild boars were captured on CCTV entering an apartment complex in Jeongnim-dong before retreating to nearby mountains. On the same day, another boar appeared on a road in Masan-dong, Dong-gu, and was later captured.

Additional reports surfaced on January 17, intensifying public concern. In response, Seo-gu and Dong-gu authorities launched an intensive capture operation six days ago, successfully capturing nine wild boars to date.

Experts say the surge is driven by the winter breeding season combined with food shortages in mountainous regions, forcing wild boars to venture into densely populated urban areas.

Officials are advising residents to avoid walking alone, refrain from nighttime outings, and immediately report any wild boar sightings to emergency services.