Animal Activists File Lawsuit on Behalf of Mountain Goats

The existence of the group of local mountain goats is under threat, after the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) decided to push forward with a new cable car project at Seorak Mountain. PNR says the goats are among the plaintiffs alongside animal rights groups, as they will be the biggest victims. (Image: Gangwon Action)

SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean animal activists are filling a lawsuit on behalf of 28 endangered mountain goats to ensure their rights and protection.

Members of People For Non-human Rights (PNR) announced plans to file a lawsuit with the Seoul Administrative Court in the name of 28 mountain goats inhabiting Seorak Mountain today, the group said during a press conference held at Rachel Carson Hall in Seoul on Wednesday.

The existence of the group of local mountain goats is under threat, after the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) decided to push forward with a new cable car project at Seorak Mountain. PNR says the goats are among the plaintiffs alongside animal rights groups, as they will be the biggest victims.

At the forefront of the legal battle is Park Geu-rim, who heads an environmental group dedicated to the protection of Seorak Mountain.

Park spoke at the press conference from the perspective of the goats in a plea to local government officials to scrap the plan, which is feared to pose a significant threat to the living environment of local mountain goats.

Despite being labeled as an endangered species by the cultural property protection law, mountain goats are forced to live in a tiny habitat that covers less than 1 square kilometer.

With a new cable car running above the goats and around 600,000 people expected to visit every year, experts warn noises and vibration will make the local mountain inhospitable for the goats.

The proposal for another cable car at Seorak Mountain was previously rejected by even an independent review board within the organization, according to Park.

Lawsuits on behalf of animals have already been filed a number of times in South Korea. However, animals have yet to be recognized as official plaintiffs by the country’s legal system.

Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)