China's panda pair arrive in S.Korea for 1st time in 22 years

The pair of pandas will live in the 3,300-square-meter Panda World at Everland, South Korea's largest theme park about 40 km from capital Seoul.

The panda species is under threat of extinction but gain great popularity for lovely looks and rarity in the world.

Joint research will be conducted by Everland and China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), which described Yuan Xin as being lively and outgoing and Hua Ni as having a slightly introverted and docile disposition.

Everland has installed thermostatic and humidity equipment and planted familiar trees in Panda World to simulate the environment in Sichuan.

The pair will be unveiled to the public from April after a one-month period of adjustment to new environment. During the transitional period, they will be fed with Sichuan bamboo taken from the region.

The panda pair are expected to have offspring at their new home. Male pandas usually become sexually mature one year later than females.

CCRCGP, which heads China's international panda research and cooperation program, has sent 32 pandas to 12 zoos and parks in 10 countries and regions since the 1990s. The 32 pandas had 22 cubs overseas, but only 15 have survived. So far, 10 of the 15 panda cubs born overseas have returned to China.