By Bernard Rowan
This week, I'm writing about some of the animals on South Korea's endangered species list to consider how South Korea might further its excellence as an advanced nation around environmental development. I read the DMZ, a site of much recent interest (and long-standing), is itself an excellent habitat for endangered species. I want to say something about why animals matter more than humans think they do.
So many of Korea's folk legends involve the tiger, an animal I love to read about and consider in this way. The bear features in the Tangun myth. Cranes feature in the wonderful films of Im Kwon-taek, also symbolically important. It's an irony. All of them are endangered! Many endangered and threatened species occupy remote stretches of the DMZ.
Earth's Endangered Creatures website (www.earthsendangered.com) lists the Asiatic Black Bear, Chinese Water Deer, Japanese Crane and North Pacific Whale as among many endangered species of animals. Eighty-one different species of various kinds appear on Korea's list.
When I search Korea's recorded legislation on endangered species, I find little. The most-often discussed subject encouraging animal rights concerns agriculture canines and dog meat. Dogs aren't on the endangered list! However, the 2007 Animal Protection Act lacks enough safeguards and funding. The World Animal Protection Society gives Korea a grade of D in a recent Animal Protection Index for recognizing animal protection. South Korea doesn't support the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare. It rates low on engaging the World Organization for Animal Health and related standards, and for national education on animal care and protection.
Koreans value animals, but the question concerns the responsible means to express their regard today. We exist with animals through ecosystems that provide everything we need to survive and thrive. Caring about endangered animals also represents self-care in this sense. Either from altruism or self-interest, most nations of the world need to improve. And yet, the march of human progress hasn't benefited these endangered species. Progress kills many animal and other species.
The only way that this story doesn't continue rests with action by governments and peoples to increase funding for conservancy. Animal habitats need protection and salvaging. Humanity shouldn't pollute water and food stocks and what animals need to survive. Sometimes, that means leaving valuable land alone, but in most cases it means development with reason. Reason includes valuing the animals and other species on which we depend. It includes interventions to address problems and to correct them.
When Trump and Kim meet, just as when their ministers have met, the issue of the DMZ as a protected habitat doesn't see much discussion. Sadly, our people worry more about weapons than the animals who make possible human existence, which includes the flourishing habitats of animals. Few realize that this blindness grounds grand conflicts of war. Maybe more peace will occur when this failure subsides.
Setting aside lands inside the DMZ now by both countries should frame a step to peace. Like returning prisoners, talking about denuclearization, and ending sanctions, it'd point the two Koreas toward peace.
The two Koreas as societies and governments know the way. The way existed before partition, before Japanese colonization, and before Chinese suzerainties. In all these times, the tiger, bear, leopard and crane flourished. They make up the deep past on which all the present supposed grandeurs and tragicomedies stand. Here's hoping our leaders don't forget the animals ― as we desperately struggle to distinguish ourselves, only to find we haven't done so at all.
I think the two Koreas need to renew the effort to set aside part of the DMZ as a natural habitat for the many species that live in them. As amply documented on the web, this includes some endangered species. This is a small step for ending the Korean War. We can build momentum for other matters through respecting endangered animals.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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So many of Korea's folk legends involve the tiger, an animal I love to read about and consider in this way. The bear features in the Tangun myth. Cranes feature in the wonderful films of Im Kwon-taek, also symbolically important. It's an irony. All of them are endangered! Many endangered and threatened species occupy remote stretches of the DMZ.
Earth's Endangered Creatures website (www.earthsendangered.com) lists the Asiatic Black Bear, Chinese Water Deer, Japanese Crane and North Pacific Whale as among many endangered species of animals. Eighty-one different species of various kinds appear on Korea's list.
When I search Korea's recorded legislation on endangered species, I find little. The most-often discussed subject encouraging animal rights concerns agriculture canines and dog meat. Dogs aren't on the endangered list! However, the 2007 Animal Protection Act lacks enough safeguards and funding. The World Animal Protection Society gives Korea a grade of D in a recent Animal Protection Index for recognizing animal protection. South Korea doesn't support the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare. It rates low on engaging the World Organization for Animal Health and related standards, and for national education on animal care and protection.
Koreans value animals, but the question concerns the responsible means to express their regard today. We exist with animals through ecosystems that provide everything we need to survive and thrive. Caring about endangered animals also represents self-care in this sense. Either from altruism or self-interest, most nations of the world need to improve. And yet, the march of human progress hasn't benefited these endangered species. Progress kills many animal and other species.
The only way that this story doesn't continue rests with action by governments and peoples to increase funding for conservancy. Animal habitats need protection and salvaging. Humanity shouldn't pollute water and food stocks and what animals need to survive. Sometimes, that means leaving valuable land alone, but in most cases it means development with reason. Reason includes valuing the animals and other species on which we depend. It includes interventions to address problems and to correct them.
When Trump and Kim meet, just as when their ministers have met, the issue of the DMZ as a protected habitat doesn't see much discussion. Sadly, our people worry more about weapons than the animals who make possible human existence, which includes the flourishing habitats of animals. Few realize that this blindness grounds grand conflicts of war. Maybe more peace will occur when this failure subsides.
Setting aside lands inside the DMZ now by both countries should frame a step to peace. Like returning prisoners, talking about denuclearization, and ending sanctions, it'd point the two Koreas toward peace.
The two Koreas as societies and governments know the way. The way existed before partition, before Japanese colonization, and before Chinese suzerainties. In all these times, the tiger, bear, leopard and crane flourished. They make up the deep past on which all the present supposed grandeurs and tragicomedies stand. Here's hoping our leaders don't forget the animals ― as we desperately struggle to distinguish ourselves, only to find we haven't done so at all.
I think the two Koreas need to renew the effort to set aside part of the DMZ as a natural habitat for the many species that live in them. As amply documented on the web, this includes some endangered species. This is a small step for ending the Korean War. We can build momentum for other matters through respecting endangered animals.
Bernard Rowan (browan10@yahoo.com) is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University. He is a past fellow of the Korea Foundation and former visiting professor at Hanyang University.
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