![This ball python found in a subway station restroom in the Gangnam District area in southern Seoul was transferred to the National Institute of Ecology in Seochon, South Chungcheong, on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]](https://www.europesays.com/ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/40027d38-fc1b-43e2-bde3-3e6657e81c90-1440x1024.jpg)
Published: 30 Jan. 2026, 11:08
![This ball python found in a subway station restroom in the Gangnam District area in southern Seoul was transferred to the National Institute of Ecology in Seochon, South Chungcheong, on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]](https://www.europesays.com/ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/40027d38-fc1b-43e2-bde3-3e6657e81c90.jpg)
This ball python found in a subway station restroom in the Gangnam District area in southern Seoul was transferred to the National Institute of Ecology in Seochon, South Chungcheong, on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]
A snake found in a subway station restroom in Seoul earlier this month was confirmed to be a ball python, an internationally near-threatened species, Gangnam District Office said Friday.
The snake was one of two found on Jan. 4. Both were immediately rescued by authorities. Initially, while placing the animals under protection, the district posted a notice on the national Animal Protection Management System to locate the owner, but no one came forward.
Subsequent confirmation by environmental authorities found that one of the snakes was a ball python, classified as a near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning that it is vulnerable to endangerment in the future.
The ball python was later transferred to the National Institute of Ecology in Seocheon, South Chungcheong, on Jan. 22, to allow it to be cared for in an optimal environment due to its conservation status.
The other snake’s species and fate were not disclosed.
“Abandoning reptiles in public places can cause anxiety and fear among citizens and constitutes severe abuse toward the animals,” a district official said, urging responsible ownership.
Gangnam District head Cho Sung-myung said the district will “spread a culture of respect for life through swift rescue efforts and transparent administrative procedures,” adding that it will “respond firmly to irresponsible abandonment.”
“We aim to build a Gangnam where people and animals coexist in harmony,” Cho said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]