Inter-Korean canines still caught between two presidents

Songkang, left, and Gomi, right, go for a walk at a veterinary hospital in Daegu on Thursday. [NEWS1]

The Presidential Archives reached out to zoos in Gwangju and Daejeon to ask whether they can look after the two dogs given up by former President Moon Jae-in, but neither gave a positive response.

Spokespeople at the Uchi Park in Gwangju and the Daejeon O-World confirmed to the JoongAng Ilbo on Thursday that officials from the Presidential Archives asked whether they would be interested in raising the Pungsans given to Moon as a gift by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2018.

Songkang, a male, and Gomi, a female, were presented to Moon by Kim when, as South Korean president, he visited Pyongyang from Sept. 18 to 20, 2018 for their third summit.

The dogs were meant to be a symbol of peace and long-lasting friendship.

After nearly four years raising them, Moon sent the dogs to the Presidential Archives on Tuesday, blaming the Yoon Suk-yeol administration for not coughing up the money to look after them.

Moon’s aides have told local reporters that the dogs were costing him nearly 2.5 million won ($1,800) per month.

By law, all living creatures and lifeless objects given to the president during his or her term belongs to the state. But a revised law earlier this year has allowed living creatures to be raised by former presidents, which permitted Moon to look after the two dogs even after leaving office.

Moon had been hoping to get cooperation from the Yoon administration to revise the law so that he could receive state funds to care for the canines, but the process has been gridlocked.

The dogs are now at a veterinary hospital in Daegu undergoing medical checks.

An official at the Uchi Park, which is affiliated with the Gwangju Metropolitan Government, said Thursday that the park was afraid to take in the dogs, essentially because they were state-owned.

“Even if we take good care of them,” said the Uchi Park official, “if someone tries to hurt them or steal them, we’d take full blame.”

An official at the Daejeon O-World said they declined the offer from the Presidential Archives, citing a lack of space.

Both facilities are currently looking after the offspring of Pungsan breeds given to former South Korean presidents by North Korean leaders.

Moon on Wednesday shot down criticism from Yoon’s government that he was abandoning the dogs, writing on Facebook that naysayers “should thank” him for raising the dogs and “showering them with love” with money out of his own pocket over the past six months since leaving office.

BY LEE SUNG-EUN [lee.sungeun@joongang.co.kr]