animal welfare Archives | Be Korea-savvy
All Pet Shops and Animal Exhibitors in Korea Now Required to Install CCTV

All Pet Shops and Animal Exhibitors in Korea Now Required to Install CCTV

SEOUL, June 5 (Korea Bizwire) — In a major move to strengthen animal welfare protections, South Korea has expanded its mandate requiring closed-circuit television (CCTV) installation to all pet-related businesses, including pet shops and animal exhibition facilities. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Wednesday that a revised enforcement ordinance of the Animal [...]

South Korean Presidential Candidate Unveils Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy

South Korean Presidential Candidate Unveils Comprehensive Animal Welfare Policy

SEOUL, May 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Lee Jae-myung, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, has pledged to overhaul the nation’s animal welfare framework by introducing a Basic Animal Welfare Act and establishing a National Animal Welfare Promotion Agency, aiming to consolidate currently fragmented government responsibilities related to animals. In a policy statement released via [...]

From Peace Symbol to Pest: South Korea Reconsiders Its Relationship with Pigeons

From Peace Symbol to Pest: South Korea Reconsiders Its Relationship with Pigeons

SEOUL, May 19, 2025 — Once celebrated as symbols of peace, pigeons in South Korea have fallen from grace—so much so that they are now officially designated as harmful wildlife by the Ministry of Environment. As urban populations grow and interactions with pigeons become more frequent, public perception has shifted dramatically, with increasing reports of [...]

The New Year 2025 Unfolds: Egg-quity Index Urges Global Accountability in Cage-Free Egg Commitments by 2025 Deadline

The New Year 2025 Unfolds: Egg-quity Index Urges Global Accountability in Cage-Free Egg Commitments by 2025 Deadline

Egg-quity Index Calls Out Costa Coffee, Best Western, and Dunkin’s Cage-Free Shortcomings HONG KONG, Jan. 27, 2025 (Korea Bizwire) – As the New Year begins and 2025 marks the final countdown for many cage-free egg commitments, Mercy For Animals, in partnership with organisations all over the world, has released the 2024 Egg-quity Index. The Index categorises 29 companies based [...]

Supreme Court Calls for Updated Sentencing Guidelines on Animal Abuse Cases

Supreme Court Calls for Updated Sentencing Guidelines on Animal Abuse Cases

SEOUL, June 18 (Korea Bizwire) – A Supreme Court commission has decided to put together sentencing guidelines on animal abuse crimes that judges can refer to when delivering verdicts on such cases amid heightened social interest in animal welfare, officials said Tuesday. The Sentencing Commission reached the decision during a meeting Monday, officials said. The [...]

Caught in the Crosshairs: South Korea’s Water Deer Struggle for Survival Amid Modern Threats

Caught in the Crosshairs: South Korea’s Water Deer Struggle for Survival Amid Modern Threats

SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Korea Bizwire) –In a concerning development for wildlife conservation, the water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus) in South Korea are embroiled in a struggle for survival. Classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the water deer shares its precarious status with renowned fauna such as lions, [...]

KARA Director Jeon Jin-kyung Advocates for a Paradigm Shift in Animal Rights and Welfare

KARA Director Jeon Jin-kyung Advocates for a Paradigm Shift in Animal Rights and Welfare

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Korea Bizwire) –In a recent interview with Yonhap News, Jeon Jin-kyung, the director of Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), shed light on the complex emotional world of animals, emphasizing their ability to experience a wide range of feelings such as frustration, fear, pride, and shyness, much like humans. She criticized the cruel [...]

Advocacy Organizations Rally for Freedom: Demanding Release of Sole Beluga Whale from Lotte World Aquarium

Advocacy Organizations Rally for Freedom: Demanding Release of Sole Beluga Whale from Lotte World Aquarium

SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Korea Bizwire) – Civic groups called Tuesday for the release of Bella from Lotte World Aquarium in Seoul, in the latest appeal to send back the only surviving female beluga whale to her natural habitat. Hot Pink Dolphins, a marine environmental group, along with four civic groups denounced Lotte World for not [...]