[iNews24 reporter Kim Da-woon] Daejeon Urban Corporation, the operator of O-World, had planned an internal audit after a wolf named Neukgu escaped from the park, sparking controversy. Following public criticism, the city of Daejeon said it would conduct the audit itself.
On the 22nd, the city of Daejeon said that Daejeon Urban Corporation, which manages O-World, had planned an internal audit into the April 8 incident in which Neukgu dug under the wolf safari's barbed wire and escaped.
Officials said the fence was electrified to deter wolves from approaching, but investigators have not yet determined how Neukgu managed to escape.
Authorities said another key factor was a failure to properly account for wolves' natural burrowing behavior.
The plan to have the urban corporation investigate the incident internally—rather than having the city conduct the review—drew sharp criticism.
Critics warned that if the operator, rather than the city, conducted the audit, it would amount to covering for its own staff and likely result in only a slap-on-the-wrist outcome.
Facing accusations of a whitewash, the city held internal discussions and reversed course, deciding to carry out the audit itself.
A city official said, \"Given the seriousness of the matter, we held an emergency meeting with the urban corporation and decided to conduct a special audit.\"
