"End of 40 Years of Bear Breeding"... Ministry of Environment to Promote Special Act Legislation

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Dongwoo Lee] Domestic bear farming will be discontinued starting in 2026.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Environment announced that it declared the end of domestic bear farming from 2026 and signed a related agreement together with four civic groups including the Bear Farming Association and Animal Freedom Coalition, as well as Gurye County and Seocheon County. Bear farming, which began in 1981, will officially cease after 40 years.

Based on the agreement held at the Government Seoul Office on the same day, the Ministry of Environment plans to work with the National Assembly to legislate the "Special Act on the Prohibition and Protection of Bear Farming (tentative name)" to legally end bear farming. By 2025, participating organizations will share roles to establish a foundation for the protection and management of farmed bears, and from 2026, bears that are abandoned or confiscated will be transferred to protection facilities where the government will manage them humanely.

Specifically, ▲bear farming will be prohibited from January 1, 2026 ▲the Ministry of Environment, Gurye County, and Seocheon County will install, operate, and support protection facilities ▲farmers will manage bears until their transfer to protection facilities ▲civic groups will cooperate in transferring bears to protection facilities through sponsorship and fundraising.

Bear farming began between 1981 and 1985 when bears were imported to farms to increase income. Over the past 40 years, international criticism has continued due to private use of bears for bile extraction, poor farming conditions and abuse, annual illegal breeding, and bear escapes. International animal protection organizations designated South Korea as a non-protected country for endangered flora and fauna from 1994 to 1997 and even requested economic sanctions against South Korea from the United States and other international communities.

The Ministry of Environment stated, "Despite various efforts such as neutering farmed bears and strengthening penalties for illegal breeding, there were limitations in resolving the issue through government intervention considering that farmed bears are private property." It added, "The declaration to end bear farming is significant as it reflects our country's responsibility and role in protecting internationally endangered species in line with our national status."

Prior to signing the agreement, the Ministry of Environment finalized and disclosed the 'Bear Farming End Implementation Plan' at the 2nd Social Relations Ministers' Meeting held on the same day. The implementation plan includes enacting a special law to prohibit bear farming, establishing two government-led bear protection facilities in Gurye and Seocheon, and institutional improvements such as blocking illegal activities involving exhibition and viewing bears that have not been neutered on some farms.

The Ministry of Environment will continue to operate the public-private bear farming consultative body to monitor the progress of the end plan and discuss cooperation among institutions. Minister of Environment Han Jeong-ae said, "Since this declaration is not the end but the beginning of the termination, the government will continue to steadily implement the plan in cooperation with farms and civil society."