Cows escape onto Nonsan highway, one calf still at large

A mother cow and her three calves escaped from a barn Tuesday afternoon, wandering a national highway in Nonsan, South Chungcheong, for over an hour and slowing traffic.

Authorities captured three of the animals, but one calf is still on the loose.

The Chungcheongnam-do Fire Headquarters said it received a civilian call around 1:40 p.m. reporting that four cows were walking along a highway in Gonae-ri, Yeonmu-eup.

Further investigation revealed that the cows had escaped from a nearby barn and made their way onto the road. Drivers reportedly slowed down and turned on their hazard lights as the cows appeared.

Firefighters and the cows' owner blocked off part of the road and moved in on the animals, herding them toward the entrance of a nearby village. They recaptured the mother cow and two of the calves at about 2:59 p.m.

Fire authorities are searching for the fourth missing calf and investigating exactly how the cows got loose.

BY KIM EUN-BIN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]