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Swallows, traditionally believed to bring good fortune, are rarely seen these days. However, a pair of swallows has built a nest and is raising chicks inside a restaurant in downtown Gangneung, drawing much attention.

Reporter Jo Jaegeun has the story.

[Reporter]

A swallow's nest is attached to a wall inside a tuna restaurant located in a residential area of downtown Gangneung.

Inside the nest, four baby swallows covered in only downy feathers are growing.

With their eyes still unopened, they sleep with their heads resting against the nest, but the moment they sense their mother's presence, they eagerly open their beaks and clamor for food, competing with one another.

The parent swallows fly in and out busily all day long to bring back food and carry the chicks' droppings outside.

When the swallow pair first appeared at the restaurant in early June, the owner briefly hesitated due to hygiene concerns and potential inconvenience to customers, but could not bear to drive them away.

[Lee Je-hak / Restaurant Owner: Since all the rooms are private, customers go inside, and because the weather is hot now, air conditioning is on in the rooms and the doors cannot be opened. So with everything closed, it's not a problem at all... Since it's far from the kitchen, I thought, let's just leave them be.]

Daily life has also changed since welcoming the swallow pair.

Although the restaurant normally opens at 5:00 PM, the door is opened early in the morning for the swallow family and kept open until closing time.

[Lee Je-hak / Restaurant Owner: Around 5:30, they start chirping loudly, and if you open the door, they just fly right out, which is so cute. So I can just endure a little bit of fatigue.]

Fortunately, most customers look upon the swallows with warm eyes, and sales have been increasing little by little.

[Hong Hyun-jung / Restaurant Customer: Isn't it a joyous occasion in itself that they laid eggs, hatched them, and raised four chicks right in that spot even with people coming and going?]

They were unexpected guests who arrived one day, but thanks to the generous hearts that warmly embraced them, the chicks are growing up healthy and fast while waiting for the day they can soar high into the sky.

(Video by Kim Dae-chul)