Deer incidents put Seoul's southern suburbs on alert

Residents south of Seoul are watching their step as another deer incident has put local authorities on high alert, just days after attacks left two people injured.

A deer was spotted late Saturday on a roadway in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, prompting an immediate response from fire officials. The emergency call came in around 11:55 p.m. from a resident fearing possible vehicle collisions with the animal, local authorities said.

Two emergency vehicles carrying eight personnel responded to the scene. After an hourlong pursuit, authorities managed to capture the deer alive shortly after midnight. City officials took custody of the animal, and no injuries or property damage were reported.

The incident raised concerns coming just days after a more aggressive deer wrought havoc in nearby Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

On Wednesday, the deer attacked a 33-year-old man at Gwanggyo Lake Park, goring him in the stomach and right leg at the popular recreational area. Just 4 1/2 hours later, a woman in her 60s was attacked on a trail near Gwanggyo Reservoir, about 6 kilometers away. She reportedly sustained injuries to both legs.

It has remained unclear whether the same deer was behind both attacks.

After a three-day search, authorities finally caught what they believe to be the aggressive deer on Saturday. The capture followed an 11-hour operation involving 10 city officials and two deer experts, according to local media.

Deer sightings in suburban Seoul typically trace back to domesticated deer farms in the region, experts say.

The Ministry of Agriculture reports 1,205 deer farms operating nationwide as of 2021. Suwon city officials confirmed at least five deer farms in Seoul's southern suburbs: two in Suwon, one in Uiwang and two more in nearby Yongin, about 10 kilometers from where the attacks had occurred. However, it is still unclear whether the recent deer incidents in Suwon and Uiwang are connected to these deer farms.

Only around 1,200 deer are estimated to remain in the wild in South Korea, with many concentrated in South Jeolla Province and Jeju Island.

Though typically docile, deer can become aggressive during mating season, which runs from October to January. Experts say male deer may travel dozens of kilometers searching for mates during this period, sometimes attacking people they encounter.

Under the Wildlife Protection and Management Act, deer are classified as a nonharmful species and can only be captured alive unless they pose immediate danger.