Seo Samseok: "Ensuring Veterinarian Safety and Companion Animal Health Rights"

Representative Proposes "Animal Hospital Assault and Threat Prevention Act"

Assemblyman Seo Samsuk.

A legislative amendment is being promoted to prevent the destruction of medical facilities and acts of assault or threats against medical staff at animal hospitals.

Seo Samseok, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Yeongam, Muan, and Sinan in South Jeolla Province), proposed a revision to the “Veterinarians Act” on the 21st, which includes these provisions. The current law stipulates that no one should interfere with a veterinarian’s medical practice, but incidents of assault and threats continue to occur.

According to an analysis of data submitted by the Veterinary Association to Representative Seo, there were 20 cases of verbal abuse, assault, or threats at animal hospitals last year?more than double the eight cases reported the previous year. In 2024, there have been 14 cases of verbal abuse, 4 cases of threats, and 2 cases of assault, with most incidents causing significant disruption to normal medical care.

In one real case, at Hospital A, while explaining the treatment and processing payment, a veterinarian and nurse were threatened and assaulted with a weapon over the high medical bill, resulting in injuries requiring three weeks of recovery. At Hospital B, due to dissatisfaction with treatment results, a pet owner verbally abused and insulted staff over the phone, and the prosecution imposed a summary order on the pet owner.

The amendment stipulates, similar to the Medical Service Act, that damaging facilities or pharmaceuticals, or assaulting or threatening veterinarians or animal health technicians, is prohibited and introduces fines for violations.

Representative Seo explained, “As the companion animal population increases, public awareness is also rising, but the rights of veterinarians to practice and the health rights of animals are being infringed upon due to assault and threats. By specifying prohibited acts for animal hospitals as in the Medical Service Act, this amendment aims to protect not only the safety of veterinarians but also the life and health of companion animals.”

Meanwhile, on the same day, Representative Seo also proposed three other legislative amendments. The amendment to the “Restriction of Special Taxation Act” extends the sunset date for special corporate tax rates for agricultural and fisheries cooperatives and the zero-rated VAT on agricultural equipment to 2030 to revitalize the rural economy. The amendment to the “Invention Promotion Act” establishes support policies and provides free patent attorney services to promote invention activities among farmers and fishers. The amendment to the “Act on the Promotion of Female Farmers and Fishers” stipulates that health checkups for female farmers and fishers be divided into general and special checkups, as is done under the National Health Insurance Service.