SEOUL-- South Korea opened a state facility Tuesday to protect endangered species with a ceremony attended by first lady Kim Jung-sook.

Located at the National Institute of Ecology in Seocheon, South Chungcheong Province, the 2,162-square-meter facility can accommodate as many as 580 animals across more than 140 species, Cheong Wa Dae said. It will be used for educational purposes as well as to enhance public awareness on the importance of the coexistence of human beings with wild animals.

South Korea joined the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna in 1993.

"All animals and plants on Earth are residents to protect the planet together. Humans cannot be the only ones safe on this planet where biodiversity is disappearing," Kim said in her speech during the ceremony.

She pointed out that the world is now fighting against the unexpected infectious disease of COVID-19.

"Ecologists say that the virus represents a warning to humans that destroy the community safety net of the global ecosystem," Kim added.

Source: Yonhap News Agency