"Scared It Might Appear in Dreams"... Elementary, Middle, and High Schools to Ban 'Frog Dissection'

Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Bans Animal Dissection Practice
Negative Impact Debates Have Persisted... Ban Begins This Month
Exception Only If Relevant Committee Recognizes Necessity

Animal dissection practice in elementary, middle, and high schools in Seoul is scheduled to be banned starting this month.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 30th that it promulgated the “Partial Amendment to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Ordinance on Animal Abuse Prevention Education and Support” on the 27th, which includes this provision.

Concerns that animal experiments involving dissection of fish such as crucian carp and frogs negatively affect minors have been consistently raised over time. Voices have continued to argue that the side effects, such as psychological shock caused by dissection practice, outweigh the educational benefits and that it violates bioethics, including animal abuse.

In fact, a report revealed that about 96% of students who participated in animal dissection experiments and practices felt guilty, and some students avoided animal dissection by deliberately skipping classes.

Globally, countries such as the United States, Switzerland, Norway, and Denmark are increasingly recognizing the issues with animal dissection experiments and practices for minors and are banning them by law.

In response to these concerns, the Animal Protection Act, newly established in 2018, includes a provision prohibiting animal dissection practice for minors under the age of 19. This regulation essentially bans animal dissection practice in elementary, middle, and high schools. Violations are subject to fines of up to 1 million won.

Nevertheless, some schools have recently conducted dissection practices on dead cow eyes or pig hearts during science classes. According to the Metropolitan Office of Education, dissection practices were conducted in two middle schools and one high school in 2022.

The Metropolitan Office of Education specified in this ordinance that “according to the Animal Protection Act, dissection practice of animals and animal corpses for education, experiments, or research purposes cannot be conducted.”

An official from the Metropolitan Office of Education stated, “Regarding the overall content on animal protection, we emphasized to schools once again to form a committee and comply with procedures according to the higher law (Animal Protection Act) guidelines concerning dissection practice.”

However, if a “Animal Dissection Practice Review Committee” composed of curriculum experts and medical professionals recognizes the necessity, dissection practice may be exceptionally permitted.

Additionally, the Metropolitan Office of Education newly established a proviso allowing the animal abuse prevention education support plan to be included in plans established under other laws or ordinances.