Activists Who Protested 'White Whale Release' at Lotte World Sent to Prosecutors

Obstruction of Business and Property Damage Charges

Activists who held a protest urging the release of belugas (white whales) at Lotte World Aquarium have been referred to the prosecution.

Beluga at Lotte World Aquarium.

On the 18th, the Songpa Police Station in Seoul announced that it had sent 8 activists from the marine environmental group 'Hotpink Dolphins' to the prosecution on charges of obstruction of business and property damage.

They held a protest for about one minute on December 16 last year inside the beluga exhibition tank at Lotte World Aquarium in Jamsil, Seoul, attaching a banner with the phrase "Stop the beluga exhibition immediately" to the tank wall using adhesive.

Lotte World filed a complaint, stating, "The exterior wall of the tank was damaged, resulting in property damage worth approximately 700 million won, and causing unstable reactions from the animals and inconvenience to visitors."