This undated photo, provided by the oceans ministry on Aug. 3, 2022, shows Bibong, an Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin.
JEJU, Aug. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, famous for their appearance on the popular Korean legal drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” are set to receive equivalent legal rights as humans.
According to the provincial government of the southern island of Jeju, an expedited effort is underway to confer legal rights upon these endangered dolphins.
Initially established to introduce the concept of an “eco-legal person,” the working group’s purpose is to safeguard the dolphins.
An “eco-legal person” is an institution created to bestow legal rights upon non-human entities, including nature, animals, and plants that hold significant biological value.
Upon the establishment of a legal entity, caretakers or representatives of the animals and plants will have the ability to initiate legal proceedings, similar to how businesses file lawsuits against government or private entities.
Recently, the provincial government convened a working-level conference to explore avenues for amending or enacting new laws that provide a legal framework for instituting eco-legal entities and granting legal status to specific elements of nature.
In the past, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins thrived in all the seas surrounding Jeju Island. Presently, their population has dwindled to a mere 120 dolphins.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
