Monkey caught near Seoul's Yeonsinnae Station

A monkey, which roamed Mount Bukhan for more than two months, was caught near Seoul's Yeonsinnae Station on Aug. 22. Courtesy of Ministry of Environment

By Jung Min-ho

A monkey that roamed Mount Bukhan for more than two months has been caught.

According to the Korea National Park Service (KNPS) Friday, its officials caught a male rhesus macaques near Seoul's Yeonsinnae Station on Aug. 22.

The KNPS began searching for the monkey in late June after receiving reports about its aggressive behavior toward some hikers.

Given that the mountain is not a natural habit for monkeys, officials believe it was smuggled into Korea and somehow escaped from where it once lived.

“It is illegal to raise a monkey without government permission,” a KNPS official said.

“The monkey is healthy and we are planning to place it in a local animal shelter.”