Moon Jae-in Notified of Pungsan Dog Gifted by Kim Jong-un Being Rehomed... Disagreement with Current Government Over Monthly 2.5 Million Won Maintenance Fee

Budget Not Released for Over Six Months Due to Opposition from Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Legislation Office
Former President Moon's Side: "Not Adoption but Custodial Management... Will Announce When Position Is Finalized"

Former President Moon Jae-in announced that on July 3 last year, seven puppies were born between Pungsan dogs 'Gomi', who came from North Korea, and 'Maru', the Pungsan dog he originally had. Photo by Cheong Wa Dae

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] There has been a report that former President Moon Jae-in has expressed his intention to return the Pungsan dogs, which he received as a gift from the North in 2018, to the state.

On the 7th, the Chosun Ilbo reported, citing government officials, that former President Moon's side conveyed to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the morning of the previous day their intention to "return the three Pungsan dogs, which were taken to his private residence in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, after his retirement," to the state.

The notice of relinquishment of the Pungsan dogs is reportedly due to disagreements over the burden of the dog maintenance costs, which amount to 2.5 million KRW per month. As the current government showed a negative stance on budget support for dog maintenance costs, former President Moon's side expressed their intention to return the dogs.

According to the report, on the last day of former President Moon's term, an agreement was drafted that specified the budget support for the expenses needed to care for the three Pungsan dogs. According to this agreement, drafted by Oh Jong-sik, then Secretary to the President's Office on Moon's side, and Shim Seong-bo, Director of the Presidential Archives under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety internally prepared a budget plan totaling 2.5 million KRW per month, including 350,000 KRW for dog food, 150,000 KRW for medical expenses, and 2 million KRW for management service fees.

The media reported that opposition to the budget plan arose both inside and outside the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Government Legislation, resulting in the actual disbursement of the budget being delayed for over half a year.

Former President Moon's side has not yet made an official statement regarding this matter. A representative from Moon's side told JoongAng Ilbo on the day, "This morning, former President Moon and a pair of Pungsan dogs went for a walk together," adding, "We have not adopted Gomi and Songgang, who are state-owned property, but are currently managing them under consignment. We will make an announcement once our position is finalized."

Former President Moon received a pair of Pungsan dogs named "Gomi" and "Songgang" as a gift from the North during the third inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang in September 2018. Upon his retirement, Moon took Gomi, Songgang, and their puppy "Dauni" to his private residence in Yangsan, Gyeongnam. Dauni was born between Gomi and "Maru," another Pungsan dog that Moon originally raised.

Prior to the end of Moon's term, public interest was focused on the whereabouts of the three Pungsan dogs. Generally, gifts received by the president are stored in the Presidential Archives, but living creatures cannot be transferred there.

On March 28, when Moon was still a president-elect, he invited President Yoon Seok-yeol to the Blue House's Sangchunjae and mentioned the Pungsan dogs during their conversation. At that time, when asked about the care of the Pungsan dogs, President Yoon responded, in the sense that "it is appropriate for the person who has been raising the companion dogs to continue doing so," saying, "How about the president taking them with him?" To which former President Moon replied, "I would like to do that."