Overview
- The Daejeon Metropolitan Police arrested a man in his 40s on charges of obstructing official duties by deception for distributing an AI-generated image of the escaped zoo wolf.
- The suspect admitted creating and sharing the picture 'for fun' and faces up to five years in prison or a fine of 10 million won under the statute cited by police.
- The image, which appeared to show the wolf at a city intersection, was shared by major outlets and shown by city officials at a briefing, and it triggered an emergency text to residents.
- Authorities say the bogus sighting redirected hundreds of police, firefighters, and troops who were using drones and thermal cameras, and a nearby elementary school closed during the search.
- Neukgu escaped on April 8 and was recaptured on April 17 near an expressway, while later analysis found the viral photo was AI-made and some media, including AFP, withdrew it after verification.