 |
| Mongsil was found staying in his house after the wildfire |
As raging wildfires swept through Andong, a city in North Gyeongsang Province, an elderly couple faced an unimaginable decision. They unleashed their white dog, Mongsil, hoping he would run far away from the fire and survive. But Mongsil didn’t run. The only world he knew was the house filled with his beloved humans. So he stayed and was tragically caught in the flames.
🔥 Trapped in the Fire: Mongsil’s Brave but Painful Loyalty
The home, once Mongsil’s safe haven, was completely destroyed by fire. When the couple returned after the wildfire had subsided, they found Mongsil collapsed in the charred ruins, his small body severely burned—especially on his hind legs and lower back. |
| The house where Mongsil lived was completely burned down af the wildfire |
Due to current emergency evacuation policies in South Korea, animals are not allowed in human shelters. The elderly couple, heartbroken and desperate, had no choice but to leave Mongsil behind. They reached out to Dorothy Protect Dog, a local animal rescue group. Responding immediately, rescuer Lee Hyo-jeong rushed Mongsil to an emergency animal hospital in Seoul.
Mongsil’s condition was critical—he had burns across his body, could not sit, and endured excruciating pain just to stand. Yet, through intensive medical treatment and strong antibiotics, his condition has slowly started to improve. His skin is healing, and his will to live remains unbroken.
 |
| Mongil survives the fire but is in bad condition |
🛑 A National Issue: No Pet Evacuation Policy in South Korea
Mongsil’s tragedy has sparked widespread attention and sorrow. It also sheds light on a major gap in South Korea’s disaster preparedness system: there is no legal framework allowing people to evacuate with their pets during emergencies.
This has left many pet owners helpless and heartbroken, forced to abandon their beloved animals during disasters. Countless innocent animals have perished due to this policy.
The animal welfare organization KARA (Korea Animal Rights Advocates) is currently campaigning for the passage of the “Pet Evacuation Law” in the National Assembly. This proposed law would ensure that emergency shelters accommodate both people and their pets during natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and earthquakes.
 |
| Mongsil before the fire – smiling and safe in his home |
💔 Mongsil’s Message: Pets Are Family, Not Property
Mongsil’s suffering serves as a painful reminder: in times of crisis, animals deserve protection too. Pets are not just animals—they are cherished members of the family. No one, human or animal, should be left behind.
From Mongsil’s scars and silent endurance, let us work toward a more compassionate and prepared society—one that protects all lives, even the smallest ones.
 |
| Mongsil during treatment – recovering from burns |
📚 Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
"쇠줄 풀어주며 도망가래도 늘 머물렀던 그 집에, 그 자리에 다시 만난 가족들, 못 피하고 전신 화상 입은 '몽실이' 보며 오열. '반려동물과 함께 대피할 제도가 없다', '동반대피법' 만들어야."
Key Vocabulary:
- 쇠줄 (soe-jul) – metal leash / chain
- 풀어주다 (pul-eo-ju-da) – to release / to let go
- 도망가다 (do-mang-ga-da) – to run away / escape
- 머물다 / 머물렀던 (meo-mul-da) – to stay / (had) stayed
- 그 자리 (geu ja-ri) – that place / that spot
- 전신 화상 (jeon-sin hwa-sang) – full-body burn
- 입다 (ip-da) – to suffer (injury/damage)
- 오열하다 (o-yeol-ha-da) – to weep bitterly
- 반려동물 (ban-ryeo-dong-mul) – pet
- 대피하다 (dae-pi-ha-da) – to evacuate
- 제도 (je-do) – system / policy
- 동반대피법 (dong-ban-dae-pi-beop) – “Companion Evacuation Law”
Grammar Notes:
- ~며 = “while doing”
- ~라도 → 도망가래도: “even though (they said to)” – expresses contrast or resistance
- ~았던 / 었던 → 머물렀던 그 집: Indicates past experience – “the home where (the dog) used to stay”
- ~보며 오열 → 몽실이 보며 오열: “Seeing (Mongsil) and weeping” – a poetic, emotional structure used in narratives
Language Insight:
- 몽실이 is the dog’s name. Korean pet names often end in ~이, and they carry emotional weight.
- 오열 is a much stronger word than just “crying”—it suggests uncontrollable, painful sobbing. It often appears in tragedies.
- The phrase “그 집, 그 자리” emphasizes emotional connection to place and memory.
- 동반대피법 is a coined term using the common structure of naming Korean laws: 동반 (accompanying) + 대피 (evacuation) + 법 (law)
Translation:
"Even when the metal leash was loosened to let his run, he remained at the same house, the same spot he had always stayed. Reunited with his family there, 'Mongsil' couldn’t escape and suffered full-body burns. Seeing him, the family broke down in tears. 'There is no system to evacuate with companion animals.' 'We must create a Companion Evacuation Law.'"
🔍 Keywords:
South Korea wildfire pet rescue, Andong wildfire dog Mongsil, pet evacuation law Korea, animals in Korean wildfires, emergency shelters for pets Korea, dog rescue stories South Korea, pet survival wildfire Korea, 몽실