Beijing: The South Korean and Chinese environment authorities have agreed to deepen cooperation on pandas following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit discussions focused on the potential lease of additional pandas to South Korea, as confirmed by the environment ministry.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan met with Liu Guohong, director of China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration, in Beijing. During the meeting, both parties reflected on the achievements of the two countries' panda cooperation and agreed to strengthen their collaborative efforts in the future.

The meeting followed an agreement by Lee and Xi during their summit in Beijing to initiate working-level discussions on potentially leasing more pandas to South Korea. Currently, there are four pandas residing at the Everland amusement park in Yongin, located 42 kilometers south of Seoul.

The pandas at Everland include Ai Bao and Le Bao, giant pandas gifted by Xi in March 2016 as a representation of the South Korea-China friendship, and their twin cubs, Hui Bao and Lui Bao, born at the park in 2023.

The pandas' first cub, Fu Bao, was sent back to China in April 2024 before reaching four years of age, as per the endangered species conservation agreement. Fu Bao's return was marked by an emotional farewell with thousands of fans gathering at the park despite adverse weather conditions to see the bear one last time.