Pigs at a pig farm in Jeju Island (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Constitutional Court announced Tuesday that legislation governing compensation for livestock culling during infectious disease outbreaks has been amended in line with a 2023 court ruling that found parts of the law unconstitutional.
In May 2023, the court ruled that a clause in the Livestock Epidemic Prevention and Control Act violated property rights by excluding livestock integrators—companies that own the animals but outsource the raising of livestock—from receiving culling compensation.
The Supreme Court (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The court allowed the clause to remain in effect only until December 31, 2025, giving lawmakers time to revise it.
Under the revised law, which took effect on July 22, when the livestock owner is an integrator, compensation will be distributed based on an agreement between the integrator and the contract farmer.
If the two parties cannot reach an agreement, the Livestock Epidemic Compensation Council will determine the payment ratio.
The Constitutional Court noted that since its founding in 1988, it has issued 615 rulings declaring laws either unconstitutional or in nonconformity with the Constitution. As of the first half of this year, 95.1% of those laws—585 in total—have been revised, while 30 laws remain unchanged.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
