Former South Korea President Wants to Give Up Dogs Gifted to Him by Kim Jong Un

To many pet owners, dogs are family. The same rings true for former South Korean president Moon Jae-in, a self-proclaimed pup lover. 

But pretty soon, the 69-year-old is looking to give up some of his beloved pets. 

The white and fluffy Pungsan dogs—Gomi and Songgang—were a gift from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2018, as a token of their blossoming friendship. 

The dogs are technically state property because any gifts received by a sitting president belong to the government, but given Moon’s attachment to the pets, the former president has taken care of them even after he stepped down in May. 

But citing a lack of support and “unexplained opposition” from the current president, Yoon Suk-yeol, Moon looks to give up his role as the dogs’ caretaker. 

“He is very disappointed to return the dogs, especially at this time when Gomi went through surgery,” Moon’s office said on Facebook. Yoon’s administration denies such meddling and said discussions between relevant ministries were ongoing. Local media reported there’s also a debate about whether to provide Moon with a monthly subsidy to help care for the dogs.  

This recent spat between the former president and his successor highlights the pair’s tense relationship, a rift that has been years in the making. 

During Moon’s administration, Yoon made a name for himself as a prosecutor who led the president’s anti-corruption campaigns. He investigated the link between Samsung, the most powerful conglomerate in South Korea, and two former presidents that led to their imprisonment. 

But Yoon began to clash with the then president in 2019 after investigating allegations of wrongdoing that involved Moon’s political allies. In 2020, Moon also suspended Yoon for two months after a justice ministry disciplinary committee found he had collected and distributed personal information on judges.

Even when Yoon won the presidential race in March, the pair took weeks to meet—a first in South Korean history. The dog debacle is just their latest feud. 

The Pungsan breed, a hunting dog known for its thick white coat and pointy ears, is one of North Korea’s national treasures. 

The canine gifts, which also came with two tons of mushroom pine, arrived after a September 2018 meeting in Pyongyang between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. During that meeting, Kim agreed to shutter a missile-testing site and visit Seoul. 

Despite strained ties due to the ongoing cold war between the two Koreas, Pyongyang has historically sent gifts to Seoul. Kim’s late father also gifted two Pungsans—Uri and Duri—to the South Korean president in 2000.  

During former president Moon’s time in office, North and South saw blossoming ties. In 2018, a historic deal to ban hostile acts by either side was reached. 

But as tensions ratchet up between the two Koreas, their relationship has crumbled yet again. North Korean leader Kim has continually launched weapons despite international sanctions condemning the tests, and the United States and South Korea have conducted joint military drills, which have angered Pyongyang. 

Just this year, North Korea has launched over 40 missiles, a record number since Kim took power in 2011. 

In an agreement signed by the presidential secretary and the head of the presidential archives at the time, Moon was to raise the three dogs and receive a monthly subsidy of 2.5 million won (about $1,802) to help cover costs. 

But since the agreement has fallen apart, they “can be cool about it,” Moon’s office said. 

“We believe that Presidential Archives will take good care of the dogs, but we hope they will also care for them emotionally,” the statement said.

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