Campaign

Our campaigns have resulted in improvements to animal protection legislation in South Korea.

Under the current Animal Protection Act, there has only been one incarceration for cruelty to an animal. It was CARE who made that happen.

STOP THE KILLING! Protest 2018

Despite the brutal summer heat, our STOP THE KILLING! 2018 demonstration demanding the end of dog meat slaughter went ahead successfully. A lot of people stopped to express support for the protest that took place on the second of the three Boknal days.

The Ugly Truth Behind the Dog Meat Trade

Across Asia 30 million are slaughtered for food every year. Dogs are kept in cramped and rusting cages, unable to stretch or move about. Many are force-fed with tubes inserted down the throat and into the stomach and filled with rice and water to make them heavier, increasing their market price.

Slaughtering Dogs for Food Violates Animal Protection Act

For the first time in South Korea, CARE has obtained a court decision stating that slaughtering dogs for food is illegal.

In Memory of Namgeuk, the Daejeon O-world Polar Bear

Namgeuk, the polar bear who had resided at O-world in Daejeon for 15 years, passed away last January. O-world had concealed her death from the media and animal rights organizations, only reporting this tragedy to the Ministry of Environment.

Stop the Killing

On the 11th of August, we held a “STOP! THE KILLING” performance event in Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall. It was the last of our Bok Nal (the three hottest days of summer) campaign events, the 11th of August being the last of the hottest summer days (called “mal bok” in Korean) in 2017.

Fundamental Changes to South Korea’s Livestock Industry

Fundamentally changing the livestock industry in South Korea, the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs has officially announced that factory farming and battery cage farming will be changed to a more animal welfare cognizant industry.

Tongki Wants a Better Life

A polar bear jumped into the Han River at Yeouinaru, Seoul, on July 28th, 2017. It was a performance to highlight the suffering of Tongki, a polar bear who was born in captivity and has lived in a small enclosure in the zoo at Everland for over 20 years.

Moran Market Dog Meat Vendors Ignore Agreement to Remove Slaughter Facilities

In December 2016, the Moran Market Vendors’ Association agreed to voluntarily stop displaying and slaughtering live dogs, and remove the butchering facilities. As the result of our ongoing investigation during May and June of 2017, it was revealed that the agreement has not been upheld.

Punishment for Dog Slaughter Leads to Banning of Dog Meat

On 12th July 2017, CARE filed a bill of indictment at the Seoul Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, accusing 15 people who slaughtered and sold dog meat for infractions under Article 8 Section 1 Clauses 1, 2 and 4 of the Animal Protection Act.

Stop It 2017 a Roaring Success

The Stop It 2017 festival held on July 9th at Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall was a roaring success, despite the occasional downpour.

A Third Legal Status for Animals

In early May 2005, Hae-tal became a member of Hansun Seo’s family. However, in the late evening of February 21st 2015, Hae-tal was savagely beaten by a neighbor for no discernible reason. He died shortly after.

Living Side-by-side with Feral Dogs

There were some feral dogs in a village in Nokbun-dong, near Bukhan Mountain in Seoul, living peacefully without hurting anyone; animals or people. They were co-existing with the villagers, with some providing food and water. Some residents even regarded them as protecting the village from wild boar.

Cat Torturer’s Inadequate Punishment

The man who tortured a cat with boiling water and hot pokers, left it suffering in agony unable to eat or drink for 5 days, and then fed it alive to his dogs, was sentenced on May 2nd, 2017 at a court in South Chungcheon province, South Korea.

Who should have Jurisdiction over Animal Protection Laws?

The Cruelty of Dog Meat Markets

CARE continues to investigate traditional markets in and around Seoul since Moran market’s announcement that the public slaughtering of dogs at the market will cease. However, this is still happening, including at Moran market; dogs are being taken from display cages and slaughtered in front of customers and other dogs.