Support for Fubao, the first giant panda born on the Korean Peninsula, shows no sign of fading — even as she now lives at a breeding base in China's Sichuan Province, her parents' home region, and three younger siblings have since been born in South Korea.
On Sunday, World Animal Day, fans in South Korea and Taiwan simultaneously held campaigns calling for improved living conditions for Fubao and other giant pandas. The Korea Fubao Protection Alliance said Monday that supporters gathered at 11 a.m. in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, and in Taichung — a historic city in Taiwan comparable to Gyeongju — to demand better health and welfare conditions for Fubao and her return to South Korea on a new loan agreement.
The alliance organized what it called a "World Animal Day Special Truck Campaign," aimed at informing the public that concerns over Fubao's welfare are not a matter of the past but an ongoing issue requiring continued attention and transparent monitoring.
The campaign highlighted footage and images released since Fubao's transfer to China, drawing attention to what fans describe as worrying signs: hair loss, changes in diet and behavior, and the appearance of rats and snakes in her enclosure.
The alliance said an objective assessment of Fubao's current health condition and transparent disclosure of her treatment and care are urgently needed.
Taiwanese fans held a petition drive the same day in the Dajia area of Taichung under the slogan "Return Fubao to Korea," calling on supporters to sign in solidarity.
Event posters carried the message "One signature keeps the love going," appealing for public participation in support of Fubao's welfare and her return to South Korea.
Fans at the venue collected signatures in person while also directing supporters to an online petition via QR code, expressing their backing for Fubao's welfare and repatriation.
The alliance said the simultaneous campaigns in Seoul and Taichung showed that concern for Fubao's health and welfare is crossing borders, with supporters in multiple countries raising their voices together.
abc@heraldcorp.com
