{
  "id": 1652603,
  "title": "Big choice, small bear: Korea casts ballots for baby panda's name",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/big-choice-small-bear-korea-casts-ballots-for-baby-pandas-name-1652603",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T06:32:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/environment-animals/20260818/big-choice-small-bear-korea-casts-ballots-for-baby-pandas-name"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Korea Times reports on a unique democratic process unfolding in South Korea as citizens engage in a nationwide vote to name a 77-day-old giant panda cub at Everland theme park in Yongin. The baby panda, born on June 3 and weighing just 171 grams at birth, has grown to 3.7 kilograms and is approaching a culturally significant age milestone in September. The Naming Selection Committee, comprising top officials, is tasked with narrowing down over 10,000 public submissions that ranged from thoughtful names to humorous puns. The panda, born to internet-famous parents Ai Bao and Le Bao, is set to receive a proper name as she transitions from a generic placeholder label.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Big choice, small bear: Korea casts ballots for baby panda's name",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/big-choice-small-bear-korea-casts-ballots-for-baby-pandas-name",
        "published": "2026-08-18T05:42:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}