In January 2022, the government and farmers reached an agreement to phase out bear farming. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – A public-private consultative body will convene on April 29 to explore collaborative strategies in anticipation of the impending 2026 ban on bear farming and bile extraction, the Ministry of Environment announced on April 28.
Attending the meeting will be representatives from the Ministry of Environment, the Korea National Park Service, the National Institute of Ecology, the Korea Bear Farmer’s Association, and animal rights groups, as well as officials from Gurye County in South Jeolla Province and Seocheon County in South Chungcheong Province, where bear protection facilities are slated for construction.
The forum will address the establishment of subordinate laws and regulations aligned with the revised Wildlife Protection Act, which prohibits bear farming and bile harvesting starting in 2026. Updates on the progress of bear sanctuaries, scheduled for completion by 2025 to shelter bears relinquished by farmers, will also be shared.
Bears have been designated an internationally endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1979.
However, in an effort to bolster rural household incomes, South Korea permitted the importation of bears from 1981 to 1985, leading to the unresolved bear farming issue that has persisted for over four decades.
In January 2022, the government and farmers reached an agreement to phase out bear farming, paving the way for amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act that were passed by the National Assembly in December of the same year.
As of December 2023, there were approximately 320 captive bears in South Korea, with around 280 being farmed for bile extraction purposes.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
