Errant wild boar causes tour to be canceled at Changdeok Palace

A wild boar was seen in the palace garden of Changdeok Palace on Thursday afternoon. The photo above shows an emergency response vehicle on the scene to catch the boar. [YONHAP]

A wild boar was spotted in the palace garden of Changdeok Palace on Thursday afternoon, according to the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.

The boar was initially seen by employees monitoring CCTV footage at the palace at 4:40 p.m. The employees immediately contacted the emergency services, the firefighters were unable to locate the wayward boar.

The palace canceled its popular Moonlight Tour on Thursday evening, announcing the decision just eight minutes before the event was due to start at 7 p.m.

The tour allows visitors to see the palace at night, and runs from Thursday to Sunday until Oct. 28.

Authorities are continuing the hunt for the boar and have evacuated part of the palace garden. To compensate ticket holders for the Thursday tour, the foundation said it will open up an additional tour on Oct. 19. The foundation said it will help those who are unable to attend on a case-by-case basis by offering them tickets to other dates. They will also make full refunds upon request.

Thursday was not the first time a boar has visited the palace. Boars were also spotted there in July 2013 and August 2012, when the porcine intruder was estimated to weigh between 40 and 50 kilograms.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]