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Animal rights group offers reward for identifying suspect who scattered bread with fishhooks at dog park

Published: 19 Feb. 2026, 15:48

Bread embedded with fish hooks found at a pet park in Naju, South Jeolla, on Feb. 14 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

An animal rights group has offered a 3 million won ($2,070) reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect who scattered bread embedded with fishhooks at a dog park in Naju, South Jeolla.

The case drew attention this week after Naju city officials asked police to investigate the incident following the discovery of multiple pieces of bread with sharp hooks embedded in them at the park, which began a one-month pilot operation on Feb. 1.

Officials later submitted surveillance camera footage that appears to show an unidentified person arriving on a motorcycle and throwing objects toward the park grounds early Saturday morning.

Animal rights group Care said on Instagram on Sunday that it could not rule out various possibilities given that the incident coincided with the park’s opening.

“The person intentionally hid dangerous objects in a place where children run and play,” Care said. “This shows what kind of backlash and risks can arise when a community tries to create a space where people and animals can live together.”

“This was a very serious crime that could have injured not only animals but also citizens and children who might have tried to remove it,” the group added, urging visitors to check the ground for food or foreign objects and to photograph and report any suspicious items immediately.

During an on-site inspection, Naju officials found three pieces of bread with fishhooks embedded in them inside a trash bin at the park and later discovered two more at a nearby lot.

Heavy fog at the time made it difficult to identify the motorcycle’s license plate number or the individual’s features in the surveillance camera footage, according to officials. Police are analyzing the video submitted by the Naju government as part of their investigation.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]