Hong Jun-pyo, who told not to obsess over Fubao, says "I will bring Panda to Daegu"

Construction of Daegu Grand Park Begins on the 8th
Hong Jun-pyo "Will Bring a Panda"

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo, who had previously drawn a line by saying "Fubao is just a panda that returned to its hometown," announced that he will negotiate with China to bring pandas to Daegu.

Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, and Fubao.
Photo by Yonhap News

On the 8th, Daegu City and Daegu Urban Development Corporation held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Daegu Grand Park project site in Samdeok-dong, Suseong-gu, with Mayor Hong, Daegu City Council Vice Chairman Ha Byung-moon, and Suseong-gu Mayor Kim Dae-kwon in attendance, officially starting construction of Daegu Grand Park.

On the same day, Mayor Hong posted on his social media (SNS) to announce the groundbreaking of the Daegu Grand Park project, congratulating, "Today marks the start of construction for the 560,000-pyeong Daegu Grand Park project, which had been a long-delayed project for over 30 years." He added, "Once completed in three years, it will become a pleasant resting space for Daegu citizens and will include a large zoo," emphasizing, "I will also negotiate with China to bring pandas."

On the 7th, Mayor Hong said, "We are planning ways to bring pandas to Daegu in the future to revitalize Daegu Grand Park," adding, "During my recent visit to Sichuan Province, the home of pandas in China, I requested officials to lend pandas, and they said that if we get approval from the central government, we can bring them." Last month, during a business trip to Chengdu, China, Mayor Hong shared photos of pandas he saw locally and remarked, "I think pandas have a better fate than humans."

Earlier, on the 23rd of last month, when a supporter asked on his communication platform 'Youth's Dream,' "I heard Fubao lives in Chengdu, China. If you go to Chengdu, will you bring Fubao back?" Mayor Hong responded, "I don't understand the intentions of those obsessed with Fubao," drawing a line by saying, "It is just a panda that was at Yongin Natural Farm (now Everland) and has returned to its hometown."

Meanwhile, Daegu Grand Park is planned to have park facilities on about 85% of the total area, approximately 1,575,000 square meters, and non-park facilities on the remaining 15%, about 274,000 square meters. The total project cost is 1.5 trillion won, and the park will include a zoo, a pet theme park, forest sports facilities, convenience facilities, and parking lots.