South Korean Police Arrest Man Over Fake AI Wolf Image Misleading Daejeon Zoo Search

South Korean police have arrested a 40-year-old man in connection with the distribution of an AI-generated image that reportedly misled authorities searching for Neukgu, a wolf that escaped from Daejeon's O-World zoo.

The man stands accused of disrupting the search operation by circulating a fabricated photograph, purportedly showing Neukgu trotting through a road intersection. This image, which emerged hours after the wolf's disappearance on 8 April, prompted an urgent relocation of search resources by local authorities.

Daejeon city government issued an emergency text alert to residents, citing the AI image, and officials presented the fabricated photo during a press briefing regarding the runaway animal. The extensive nine-day search for the two-year-old wolf concluded last week when Neukgu was captured near an expressway.

Police identified the suspect through security camera footage and his AI programme usage records. While the man reportedly stated he created the image "for fun," authorities have not specified if he intentionally submitted the photo to officials or merely shared it online. He is being investigated for disrupting government work by deception, an offence punishable by up to five years in prison or a maximum fine of KRW#10 million (approximately GBP#5,000).

Neukgu, born in 2024, is part of a programme aimed at reintroducing the Korean wolf, a species considered extinct in the wild on the Korean Peninsula. Following Neukgu's safe return to the zoo, a local bakery began selling wolf-themed pastries, and the city is reportedly considering naming the animal an official local mascot.