Before Cotton: Clothes Were a Winter Problem Before cotton became common, ordinary Koreans mainly depended on hemp cloth . Silk was available, but it was expensive and mostly used by the upper class. Hemp was strong, but it was rough and did not keep people very warm. That was a serious problem during Korea's cold winters. This meant that many poor people suffered severely in winter, and in extreme cases some even died from the cold. After cotton was introduced, this situation changed dramatically. There is also an interesting story about how cotton first arrived in Korea. 1363–1364: The Seeds Came from Yuan China In 1363 , near the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, a Korean diplomatic mission went to the Yuan Dynasty , the Mongol-ruled dynasty in China. One official on that mission, Mun Ik-jeom , returned to Korea in 1364 with about ten cotton seeds. According to a well-known story, he hid the seeds inside a writing brush case (this is the famous anecdote), but it is important to note t...
The Asiatic black bear is the only bear that naturally occurs on the Korean Peninsula.
It is a medium‑sized black bear with a distinctive white or cream “V”/crescent patch on its chest, which is why Koreans call it “half‑moon bear” (반달가슴곰).
In Korea it is classified as an endangered wild animal (Class I) and is also a Natural Monument (No. 329).
How many bears are in the wild now?
By the late 1900s, hunting and habitat loss had reduced the wild population to only about 5 bears in South Korea.
A government re‑introduction program began in 2004, releasing Russian Far East bears that share the same genetic lineage.
By 2024, the Korea National Park Service reported about 86 wild Asiatic black bears living mainly in Jirisan National Park.
In addition, there are still hundreds of captive bears (around 322 bears on 20 farms as reported recently) used historically for bear farming.
Where do they live?
Today, almost all wild bears in South Korea are concentrated in Jirisan National Park and nearby mountainous areas in the south.
Historically, bears ranged across many mountain regions of the peninsula, but now the wild population is highly localized
1. Asiatic Black Bear (Moon Bear) – the only current wild species in Korea
This is the only bear species currently living in the wild across the Korean Peninsula.
- Status in South Korea: Nearly extinct by the early 2000s (only 5–10 left). A major reintroduction program started in 2004 using bears from Russia and North Korea. The population in Jirisan National Park has grown successfully to around 80–86 wild bears as of recent years, exceeding original targets. Some bears have started dispersing to nearby forests.
- Status in North Korea: More stable populations exist in mountainous areas.
- Characteristics: Medium-sized, black fur with a distinctive white/cream V-shaped crescent on the chest. Excellent tree climbers. They prefer forests and eat fruits, nuts, insects, and small animals.
- Conservation: Protected as an endangered species. Challenges include habitat fragmentation and occasional human-bear conflicts.
2. Brown Bear – historically present in northern Korea but now likely extinct there
Historically found in northern Korea, but it is now considered likely extinct (extirpated) in the wild on the peninsula.
Brown bear - Wikipedia