The Reason Why 'Fubao,' Loved by the Entire Nation, Must Go to China

Fubao Next Year, Twin Siblings in 2027, Lubao and Aibao in 2031
Beyond Contracts, Birth and Other Needs... "Must Go to China for Panda Happiness"

The giant panda family, which has received explosive love from Koreans, will soon be scattered. Pu Bao, the giant panda born in Korea in July 2020, must return to China by July next year. The twin siblings born last month will also leave for China in July 2027. The parents of the three, Le Bao and Ai Bao, must be in China from March 3, 2031, according to the contract. The children born on Korean soil and the parents who came from China will eventually all return to China.

The Bao family must return to China according to contracts and international agreements. Typically, China signs panda lease contracts with foreign countries for 15-year terms. Pandas reach sexual maturity at the age of 4. Simply put, after 4 years, they mature enough to give birth. However, they cannot give birth alone. For this reason, Pu Bao and the twin siblings will return to China after 4 years from birth to form families with other pandas. In the case of Le Bao and Ai Bao, they came to Korea as a married couple and signed a 15-year lease contract at that time.

PubaO (left) playing with his mother Aibao on his first birthday.
[Photo by Samsung C&T Resort Division]

On March 3, 1973, 80 countries signed the "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)" in Washington DC, USA. The treaty came into effect in 1983. Since then, it has become impossible to buy and sell endangered wild animals. Both Korea and China are parties to the treaty. The Washington Convention only permits temporary loans and artificial breeding by countries other than the animal-holding country. Buying pandas with money violates the Washington Convention.

This differs from the principle of jus soli applied to humans. Jus soli is the concept of granting Korean nationality to all newborns born in Korea. People born in Korea become Korean. However, even if born in Korea, pandas are Chinese pandas. Le Bao and Ai Bao came to Korea because in 2015, the two countries signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for Joint Promotion of Panda Conservation Cooperation" for endangered panda research projects. Under the name of joint research, Korea pays China $1 million (about 1.3 billion KRW) annually during the contract period. Pu Bao, born in Yongin and nicknamed "Yongin Pu," and his family are no exceptions.

The most popular video on Everland's YouTube channel, "Grandpa Panda and Fu Bao's Arm-in-Arm Date," has recorded 19.47 million views as of 7:40 AM on the 4th.
[Photo by Samsung C&T Resort Division]

Regardless of the agreement, experts judge that it is better for Pu Bao and the twin siblings to live in China after sexual maturity for their health and happiness. It is difficult to give birth and interact with other pandas if they live in Korea. Kang Cheol-won, the Everland zookeeper raising Pu Bao, said, "We feel regret, but Pu Bao must return to a place where he can live well."

Samsung C&T Resort Division Everland plans to continue communicating with Korean fans by steadily uploading content from China even after Pu Bao leaves for China. On the 25th of last month, Everland's YouTube channel surpassed 1 million subscribers 12 years and 6 months after its launch.