S. Korean fans bid farewell to internet-famous panda Fu Bao

A vibration-free special vehicle carrying giant panda Fu Bao passes through fans during the farewell ceremony at Everland amusement park in Yongin on April 3, 2024. - AFP

SEOUL: Thousands of well-wishers gathered Wednesday (April 3) to bid farewell to the first giant panda born in South Korea, Fu Bao, who left for China in a high-tech non-vibrating vehicle typically used for transporting semi-conductors.

Beijing has long used "panda diplomacy" as a form of soft power, and Fu Bao's parents -- Ai Bao and Le Bao -- were gifted to South Korea in 2016 by Chinese President Xi Jinping.