Panda twins born in S Korea celebrate 2nd birthday

Rui Bao and Hui Bao, the first-ever giant panda twins born in South Korea, celebrated their second birthday on Monday at Everland, the county's largest theme park.

Their home at the theme park threw a special birthday party for the twins, drawing panda enthusiasts from across the country to witness the happy day for the pair.

Keepers at Everland's Panda World prepared two large birthday cakes made from their favorite treats, along with gifts like cooling ice beds and toys crafted from bamboo.

Rui Bao and Hui Bao weighed just 180 grams and 140 grams, respectively, when they were born. Thanks to the care of their keepers, the twin sisters have grown into healthy, playful young pandas now weighing around 70 kilograms each.

"I'm so happy they've grown up healthy over these two years. They're spending their second birthday with their mother Ai Bao, but they'll soon begin living independently," said their keeper Kang Cher-won.

Panda pair Le Bao and Ai Bao arrived in South Korea on March 3, 2016.

Their first cub, Fu Bao, was born on July 20, 2020. On July 7, 2023, the couple gave birth to twin daughters Rui Bao and Hui Bao.

Visitors from all over the country flocked to Everland on Monday morning to extend their best wishes to the two pandas.

"At first, my mom fell in love with Fu Bao and then she got me into the pandas too. Last year, I began to visit Rui Bao and Hui Bao regularly. I love everything about them, especially Hui Bao because she's younger and more mischievous. I feel so happy to watch them," said a visitor.

Giant panda cubs typically begin to separate from their mothers between 18 and 24 months of age. Rui Bao and Hui Bao are currently undergoing adaptation training and are expected to begin greeting visitors independently at a new enclosure by September.

Panda twins born in S Korea celebrate 2nd birthday

The Bayannur section of the Yellow River in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region became fully frozen as of 07:00 Sunday, officially entering its stable winter ice period.

Freezing of the river commenced on December 4, 2025, but repeated thawing and refreezing driven by temperature fluctuations and higher water flow postponed a full, stable freeze-over. The entire process lasted 48 days, 29 days longer than the previous year, making it the longest freezing period for this section in recent years.

In response to the extended and volatile freezing process, local authorities in Bayannur City and districts along the river have intensified their ice-jam prevention efforts. Officials have been conducting thorough inspections to identify and manage any potential obstacles within the river channel that could contribute to dangerous ice dams.

To ensure safety and stability during the frozen season, a 24-hour monitoring and patrol system has been implemented along the riverbanks to watch for any signs of ice-related hazards.

Inner Mongolia section of Yellow River enters stable ice period after 48 days