CreatripTeam

In Korea's Jirisan National Park, 54 Asiatic black bears (known as 반달가슴곰 in Korean) are currently unaccounted for. Out of the total 93 bears residing in the country, most can be found in Jirisan, with a few in Deogyusan National Park. These bears become active after hibernation around April, which coincides with the lifting of hiking restrictions in May, raising concerns about potential encounters with hikers.

Though Asiatic black bears are not typically known to attack humans, past incidents in Japan where bears attacked and killed people collecting wild plants have sparked worry. In Korea, government guidelines suggest retrieving problem bears from the wild for management in protected facilities if necessary. However, experts note the growing expanse of bear habitats and stress the challenge of unidentified bears, urging people to remain cautious.

This article appeared in the April issue of "Weekly Mountain" magazine.