South Korea - The Korea Times

Activists criticize local governments that cash in on bull fights

Two bulls fight during a match held in Cheongdo County, North Gyeongsang Province, March 2021. NewsisBy Lee Yeon-wooTwo bulls weighing about 800 kilograms to 1.2 tons butt each other with their horns. Their firm muscles are shaking. Their eyes are all bloodshot. In a flash, one bull whirls his head around and runs away. The crowd betting on his opponent's victory cheer.Korean bull fights involve two bulls fighting for as long as 30 minutes. The bull that turns his head away or runs away becomes the loser. The bulls often end up bleeding or even breaking their horns. This culture survives in southern regions of Korea, in such areas as Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province, and Jeongeup in North Jeolla Province.Amid the increasing importance of animal rights in Korea, calls are growing to stop this tradition as it forces animals to fight against their will for people's entertainment ― with spectators placing bets on the results. However, local governments of these regions where bull fights have survived insist that it is a traditional culture essential to activating local touris

Feb 20, 2023By Lee Yeon-woo

Activists criticize local governments that cash in on bull fights

Treatment of Korean rescue dogs in eathquake-hit Turkey ignites animal rights debate

Six-year-old rescue dog Tobaek, a Labrador retriever, sniffs out missing people during a search operation in Turkey's southern city of Antakya, last Friday. Tobaek is one of the four Korean rescue dogs sent to the disaster site where a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck last Monday. Yonhap By Lee Hae-rinSpecially trained dogs sent to assist in search and rescue missions with their Korean disaster relief teams in earthquake-hit Turkey have taken center stage for their heroic role in saving lives. Last Thursday, along with the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), four rescue dogs from Korea ― Labrador retrievers “Tobaek” and “Tina,” and Belgian Malinois “Tori” and “Haetae” ― were sent to Antakya in southern Turkey, where a deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck last Monday.The KDRT comprises 118 members, mainly consisting of firefighters and foreign ministry and army personnel. The canines are four of 12 trained and experienced rescue dogs on duty at the National 119 Rescu

Feb 14, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Treatment of Korean rescue dogs in eathquake-hit Turkey ignites animal rights debate

Korea reports new swine fever case

Quarantine officials block a road leading to a pig farm in the central border town of Cheorwon, 70 kilometers north of Seoul, after an African swine fever case was confirmed at the farm the previous day in this Nov. 10, 2022 file photo. YonhapKorea reported an African swine fever (ASF) case from a local farm in the eastern region of Gangwon Province, officials said Sunday.The latest ASF case was found in Yangyang in Gangwon Province, some 174 kilometers east of Seoul, according to authorities.It is the fourth ASF outbreak that Korea has reported this year, following ones in Pocheon, Cheorwon and Gimpo.Authorities issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms and slaughterhouses in areas in the province, except for the northern region of Cheorwon.Officials plan to cull pigs that were being raised at the farm in a preventive measure, while farms and livestock facilities located in a radius of 10 kilometers will be subject to close examinations.ASF does not affect humans but is deadly to pigs. There is currently no vaccine or cure for the disease. (Yonhap)

Feb 12, 2023

US borough blocks Korean students' trip over country's dog meat tradition

Dogs kept in cages at a dog farm in Gyeonggi Province. Korea Times fileBy Jun Ji-hyeA proposed program for high school students of Ganghwa County, Incheon, that would send them to the U.S. borough of Palisades Park, New Jersey, for foreign language and culture education, has failed to get off the ground due to negative public opinion there regarding Korea's tradition of eating dog meat, which was raised by animal rights activists in the U.S., according to county officials, Friday.The county planned to send 12 high school students to the U.S. borough with which it has maintained friendly relations since 2020 to engage in the program. The program aimed to give Korean students opportunities to learn English and experience a different culture for three weeks. It was originally scheduled to take place in December. However, last June, Palisades Park abruptly informed Ganghwa County of their intention to suspend cooperation regarding the program, stating that the decision was unavoidable as it faced negative public opinion due to Korea's dog farms, where dogs are raised for meat, in Ganghwa

Feb 10, 2023By Jun Ji-hye

US borough blocks Korean students' trip over country's dog meat tradition

Simulation to show flow of radioactive water discharged from Fukushima

An aerial view shows the storage tanks for treated water at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the town of Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, Feb. 13, 2021. Reuters-YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanKorean researchers will release next Thursday the result of a simulation they have been working on to demonstrate how radioactive water discharged from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was devastated by a tsunami 12 years ago, will flow and affect the world's oceans.Researchers from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) said the simulation was designed to track tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen with a half-life of about 12 years. Emitted from nuclear facilities across the world, tritium is believed unfilterable even by ALPS, the advanced liquid processing system that is supposed to treat radioactive water now stored at the Fukushima plant before releasing it into the Pacific Ocean this spring. The researchers said the simulation will likely show how tritium will spread through

Feb 10, 2023By Ko Dong-hwan

Simulation to show flow of radioactive water discharged from Fukushima

Tiger endures 3 years of solitary confinement in closed zoo

A tiger believed to be named Hosooni sits behind bars and glass in her enclosure in the zoo of Tongdo Fantasia, a closed amusement park in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, Feb. 4. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jon DunbarVisitors to Tongdo Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, might notice the closed amusement park, zoo, waterpark and hotel across the street from the temple parking lot. But they could never guess that an adult Bengal tiger is living all alone in there.The park, just a couple of kilometers down the road from former President Moon Jae-in's new home, is “temporarily closed,” according to its website, but has been so since March 2020. The tiger, presumed to be an adult female Bengal tiger named Hosooni based on a scattering of internet posts, spends her days lying in the sun and pacing around her enclosure, which is slightly smaller than a tennis court and provides some sheltered areas.She sometimes lets out anguished meows, deeper and louder than those of her domesticated cousins, that echo throughout the park and beyond. People passing

Feb 7, 2023By Jon Dunbar

Tiger endures 3 years of solitary confinement in closed zoo

Ultrafine dust advisory issued in capital, central areas

This bird-eye's view of Seoul's western area shows the sky thick with fine dust, Feb. 6. YonhapUltrafine dust advisories were issued in parts of the capital and central areas and others on Tuesday. The advisories went into effect in parts of the western port city of Incheon, the central city of Sejong, Gyeonggi Province, South and North Chungcheong Province and North Jeolla Province, the National Institute of Environmental Research saidAs of 8 a.m., the level of ultrafine dust, particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, stood at "very bad" at over 75 micrograms per cubic meter in Sejong and South Chungcheong Province.The concentration level reached "bad" between 36 and 75 micrograms per cubic meter in the capital area, Gangwon Province, North Chungcheong Province, Daejeon, Daegu and North Jeolla Province, according to the institute.Throughout the day till 9 p.m., emergency fine dust reduction measures will be implemented in those areas, requiring heavy fine dust emitters and construction sites to readjust or cut down operating hours. The institute said ultrafine dust will st

Feb 7, 2023

Ultrafine dust advisory issued in capital, central areas

'Celebrity forests' emerge as new K-pop trend in Seoul

Japanese fans of BTS take a selfie in front of their idol's poster at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Yeonje District, Oct. 13, 2022, two days before the K-pop boyband holds a concert at the venue. NewsisEnvironmentally conscious K-pop fans make Han River greener, more sustainable spaceBy Ko Dong-hwanSeoul's man-made forest green spaces are expected to get denser this year ― thanks to K-pop fans from across the world.The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that a new 10,000 square meter reserve will be established in Nanji Hangang Park at the western end of Seoul in Mapo District. Trees bought with money donated by K-pop fans will be planted there. The Nature and Ecology Division of the city government's Parks and Recreation Bureau said they plan to start the Nanji riverside park business this spring. They expect that as K-pop popularity grows across the world, so too will donations. “We think that celebrity forests in Seoul represent a model for global K-pop fans' fandom culture to help conserve nature and fend off the climate crisis,” said an official from the divis

Feb 7, 2023By Ko Dong-hwan

'Celebrity forests' emerge as new K-pop trend in Seoul

Big firms' greenhouse gas emissions rise 5.9% over 3 years

GettyimagesbankThe greenhouse gas emissions of Korean large companies have increased by nearly 6 percent in recent years, going against the country's carbon neutrality goal, a corporate tracker said Wednesday.The volume of greenhouse gases emitted by 50 big businesses in Asia's fourth-largest economy reached 272.8 million tons in 2021, up 5.9 percent from three years earlier, according to the Leaders Index.Of the total, 25 saw emissions grow over the cited period, with the remainder posting decreases. Those firms are the country's top 50 emitters and exclude state-run power companies.Yet their emissions per 100 million won ($80,900) in sales came to 26.9 tons in 2021, down 5.6 percent from 2018.During the three-year period, Korea's overall greenhouse gas emissions shrank 6.6 percent to 679.6 million tons.Industry watchers said those highest-emitting companies need to dial up efforts to decrease their emissions in line with a local law on carbon neutrality.Under the law that took effect in March last year, Korean companies are required to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 40 perce

Feb 1, 2023

Big firms' greenhouse gas emissions rise 5.9% over 3 years

Bad weather disrupts operation of Jeju airport again after 3 days

Airplanes are parked on a runway at Jeju International Airport on the southern Jeju Island, Jan. 26. YonhapThe operation of Jeju International Airport, the gateway to the southern resort island, was again disrupted by inclement weather Friday, only three days after its operational paralysis.At present, wind shear and strong wind warnings are in effect for the airport.According to the Jeju branch of the Korea Airports, 50 flights to and from the Jeju airport ― 18 departures and 32 arrivals ― had been canceled as of 10 a.m., while nine other flights were delayed. A total of 445 domestic flights ― 222 departures and 223 arrivals ― were scheduled for Friday.Earlier on Tuesday, heavy snow accompanied by strong winds caused all flights to and from the Jeju airport ― 466 domestic flights and 10 international flights ― to be canceled. (Yonhap)

Jan 27, 2023

Environment & Animals