Giant panda in South Korea's theme park gives birth to twin cubs

ISTANBUL

A giant panda named Hua Ni in South Korea's largest theme park, Yongin, has given birth to a pair of twin cubs, according to local media.

The birth of the two female cubs on July 7 marked the first birth of giant pandas outside of China this year, Seoul-based Yonhap news reported on Tuesday.

The mother panda, also known as Ai Boa, cradled her newborns in Yongin, located approximately 40 km (25 miles) south of Seoul.

The older and younger panda cubs weighed 180 grams and 140 grams, respectively.

Hua Ni and her partner, Yuan Xin, were relocated to South Korea's Everland Resort from Sichuan province in March 2016 as participants in a 15-year program dedicated to studying giant pandas.

In 2020, Hua Ni and Yuan Xin successfully bred and welcomed their first offspring, Fu Bao. After a three-year interval, they mated once again and gave birth to the twin cubs.

Both the mother panda and her cubs are in good condition.

Currently, the twin cubs will not be available for public viewing.

The pandas were given to South Korea as part of a joint research project under a lease agreement.

China had previously loaned a pair of pandas to South Korea in 1994.

Furthermore, pandas are also given as gifts by China to improve diplomatic relations.