Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
15,000 cats killed on Seoul roads in three years
A stray cat / Korea Times file
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Over the past three years, more than 20,000 animals, including 15,000 cats, have been killed on Seoul's roads.
Between January 2016 and June 2018, 20,283 animals were killed on Seoul's roads, according to Seoul Metropolitan Government data revealed Sunday.
Cats (15,423) account for 76 percent of the deaths, followed by water deer (2,140) and dogs (1,638).
Compared with dogs, cats in general are more likely to be killed on roads because they roam more independently. They are also more difficult for drivers to see.
In a press release, Rep. Song Ok-joo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea urged the city government to come up with a policy to better protect animals from being killed on the road.