A 62-year-old woman who had been missing for four days in the South Korean mountains was found by a rescue dog two and a half hours into the search.
Here's what to know
According to The Korea Times, a woman whose identity has not been released entered South Korea's Mount Maebong in Inje County on October 4 and went missing.
Police requested Dandi — a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois — through Gangwon State Fire Headquarters, and the dog found her about two and a half hours later at 12:46 p.m.
Officials said she was conscious when found, but had a leg injury and showed signs of dehydration and exhaustion. Because of the difficult mountain terrain, Gangwon State Fire Headquarters sent a helicopter.
Around 2:10 p.m., an ambulance crew had taken over her care.
More background
Fire officials said Dandi was born in February 2022 and entered rescue service in April 2025. Handler Jeon Joon-hyun worked with Dandi during the mission.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
O Seung-hoon, director of Gangwon State Fire Headquarters, said, "In rugged mountain terrain, quickly locating a missing person is the top priority. We will continue to make full use of available resources, including rescue dogs and firefighting helicopters, to protect the lives and safety of residents."
Where can I learn more?
Dandi's rescue is one example of how trained dogs and handlers work in dangerous searches under difficult conditions. These stories follow K9 teams as they respond to wildfires, wilderness tracking missions, and conservation detection work.
• In Los Angeles, K9 teams faced the hardest jobs after devastating wildfires.
• In California, former shelter dogs became tasked with rescuing humans during wildfire emergencies.
• With handler Rita Santos, Hera's main job is to locate wildlife clues in the field.
• A neglected former rescue dog found an unexpected profession in wildlife conservation work.
• In Australia, a hero dog made a discovery of a lifetime in a wildlife reserve.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
