"Gwangbok-i and Gwansun-i's Home is Korea Seoul Grand Park, Controversy Over Transfer of Chimpanzees to Experience Zoo"

Protest Against Export of Chimpanzees Gwangbok and Gwansun Held in Front of Seoul City Hall
'Taman Safari' Scheduled for Export Faces Abuse Controversy, Local Animal Groups Also Avoid Visit
Animal Rights Groups Criticize Export Reasons Including Difficulty of Cohabitation and Breeding Possibility
Seoul Grand Park Agrees to Ban Performances of Gwangbok and Gwansun

At around 12 PM on the 14th, a rally opposing the transfer of chimpanzees from Seoul Grand Park to a petting zoo was held in front of the main gate of Seoul City Hall.
Photo by Kim Jeongwan kjw106@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] "Stop the transfer of Gwangbok and Gwansoon!", "Stop the transfer of the animal abuse experience zoo!"

At around 12 p.m. on the 14th, about 30 animal rights activists and citizens raised their voices in unison in front of the main gate of Seoul City Hall. They held signs saying "Stop the transfer of Gwangbok and Gwansoon" and "Gwansoon and Gwanbok's home is Seoul," urging the protection of animal rights.

The 'Protest Against the Transfer of Chimpanzees from Seoul Grand Park Experience Zoo' held in front of City Hall that day was organized by citizens who love the chimpanzees Gwangbok (13 years old) and Gwansoon (10 years old), Bear Shelter Project, Animal Rights Action Kara, Animal Welfare Research Institute AWAY, Action for Animals, Animal Freedom Coalition, and others.

In April, Seoul Grand Park announced plans to transfer the captive chimpanzees 'Gwangbok' and 'Gwansoon' to 'Taman Safari,' an experience-type zoo in Indonesia. Animal rights groups and citizens opposing this decision have held five rallies in front of Seoul Grand Park every Sunday.

Despite this, as Seoul Grand Park maintained its intention to transfer, they moved to Seoul City Hall to demand a response from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is responsible for park operations, and held the sixth rally.

'Stop the removal of Gwangbok and Gwansoon', 'Gwansoon and Gwanbok's house is in Seoul' and other signs were held by about 30 animal rights activists and citizens gathered in front of the main gate of Seoul City Hall. Photo by Kim Jeongwan kjw106@

The reason they oppose the transfer of Gwangbok and Gwansoon is that 'Taman Safari,' the facility Seoul Grand Park decided to transfer them to, has been problematic due to 'animal abuse controversies,' with local animal groups even recommending avoiding visits.

According to the announcement by the organizers, Taman Safari has been involved in issues such as drugging lions and tigers to use them for photo-taking experiences and exposing abusive acts toward elephants. The organizers stated, "We proposed through meetings to stop the transfer of the chimpanzees, improve the facility to continue their care, and look for alternative transfer locations, but these were not accepted."

Indonesia's 'Taman Safari' is a zoo that became controversial after it was exposed for drugging lions and tigers to use them in photo-taking experiences and for abusing elephants. Photo by international animal organization OIPA

Lee Hyung-joo, director of the Animal Welfare Research Institute AWAY, criticized, "The tigers at 'Taman Safari' are still performing shows where they hang from trees on command, and dolphins also perform shows." He added, "I want to ask Mayor Oh Se-hoon if he really thinks a zoo where tigers perform shows, dolphins perform shows, and elephants carry people on their backs is a zoo that cares about animal welfare."

Then, activists and citizens held signs opposing the transfer of the chimpanzees and took turns reading a statement. In the statement, they emphasized, "Seoul Grand Park assumes as an expert opinion that Gwangbok and Gwansoon cannot be mixed with the other four chimpanzees, but chimpanzees are not a species difficult to integrate. Worldwide chimpanzee sanctuaries rescue chimpanzees that were artificially reared or kept alone in abusive facilities and create new groups for them to live together."

Choi In-soo, an activist from Animal Rights Action Kara, said, "If the two chimpanzees are hybrids rather than purebred and it affects species conservation, then sterilization or controlled breeding can be done. Integration is definitely possible. Saying integration is difficult is just an excuse. It seems they do not want to pay the cost involved and intend to transfer and exchange to bring in new animals."

The organizers of the rally claimed that Seoul Grand Park's position that they cannot house Gwangbok and Gwansun together due to the possibility of breeding between the siblings is false.
Photo by Jeongwan Kim kjw106@

During the statement reading, they challenged Seoul Grand Park's position that Gwangbok and Gwansoon are siblings and cannot be integrated due to the possibility of breeding, stating, "Gwansoon has undergone contraception procedures, so this is false." They also pointed out, "Gwangbok can also be sterilized, but Seoul Grand Park does not do so, fearing it would reduce the animal's value."

Jeong (53), who attended the protest, said, "Gwangbok has not been sterilized, and Gwansoon underwent contraception by device insertion, not surgical sterilization. Therefore, they will definitely breed there (at Taman Safari)." He criticized, "Although it was guaranteed that Gwansoon and Gwangbok would not participate in shows, their offspring will be made to participate. This vicious cycle will repeat."

On the 8th of last month, citizens held a rally in front of the fountain plaza at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, opposing the removal of Gwangbok-i and Gwansun-i. Provided by Aware

They agreed that if a wrong precedent is set at a public zoo, other zoos might more easily neglect the welfare of exhibited animals. Activist Choi said, "Even though this is the largest public zoo in Korea and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in the U.S., if such incidents occur, other zoos will find it much easier to do the same and such practices will become rampant. We demand a ban on the transfer as this sets a button that will inevitably lower the welfare of exhibited animals."

Kim (52), who attended the rally for the first time, said, "Even if this issue does not yield results, I think we need to continuously create opportunities for people to rethink the existence of zoos. People think zoos are very beneficial and educational places, but they are too human-centered. The animals are there, and it is time to reconsider what we have taken for granted."

Meanwhile, Seoul Grand Park announced plans to create guidelines for animal import and export as the controversy spread. However, the transfer of Gwangbok and Gwansoon is proceeding as scheduled due to multi-party contract agreements. Regarding this, Seoul Grand Park explained that none of the chimpanzees at the safari perform shows, and they received a written promise that Gwangbok and Gwansoon will not perform either.