Jeju’s Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
JEJU, Jan. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Hot Pink Dolphins, a marine conservation organization, issued a statement on January 9 calling for swift parliamentary passage of an amendment to Jeju’s Special Act that would introduce a groundbreaking “ecological corporation” system.
The proposed amendment, currently awaiting review by the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee, would allow for the designation of certain species, ecosystems, and natural environments with high ecological value as legal entities on Jeju Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
“If this legislation passes, Jeju’s Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins would become the first non-human entities in South Korea to be granted legal personhood,” the organization said. “This concept of ecological corporations represents a significant milestone, as it legally enshrines the principle of coexistence between humans and nature by recognizing non-human entities as legal subjects.”
The group also urged for broader reforms in 2025, including the passage of a civil code amendment that would reclassify animals as living beings rather than objects, and the recognition of animal rights, citing the critical state of global ecosystems.
The amendment was proposed on December 31 by Democratic Party Representative Wi Seong-gon. If passed, the Jeju provincial government plans to establish detailed regulations for the ecological corporation system, including the designation of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins as a special protected species with legal rights.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
