Locking horns with Korea's bullfighting culture

Two bulls lock horns during a bullfighting festival in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, in 2012. Animal rights activists are demanding the city government drop its plan to build a new bullfighting stadium. / Yonhap

Animal rights activists protest new arena construction

By Jung Min-ho

Animal rights activists are locking horns with a local government over its plans to construct a new bullfighting stadium.

The activists have demanded the Jeongeup City Government to drop its plan, which they say will promote "nothing but animal abuse."

The conflict began after the city government recently announced that it planned to invest 11.3 billion won ($10 million) into building facilities to promote its livestock industry as part of an effort to attract tourists.

But the activists have expressed concerns, saying they don't want to see their city become a hub of the "crucial tradition," in which bulls have to be abused in competition. They also worry that the facilities will lure residents, including teenagers, into ringside gambling.

The activists have staged protests near the city government building and handed out flyers on the streets to convince more people to join them.

The liberal Justice and Green Parties have backed their movement.

"Many bulls suffer from bloating as their owners force them to eat excessively for bullfighting," the Green Party said in a statement. "They also suffer because of the intense heat as they are moved from one city to another city during bullfighting seasons."

"All this is an act of animal abuse."

An animal rights activist protests in front of Jeongeup City Hall, Tuesday. / Yonhap

But the city government believes the activists are complaining to the wrong institution, saying it is just trying to make it more convenient for people to enjoy bullfighting, which is legal in Korea.

Bullfighting has been a part of the country's culture for a long time, and the city has held its bullfighting festival since 1996, which will continue ― with or without the new facilities.

"Besides, unlike Spanish bullfighting, we don't kill the bulls," a city official was quoted as saying. "Concerns over gambling are also overblown because we are not planning to sell tickets."

In fact, bulls rarely die during the contest. The fight is over as soon as one turns tail. Humans are not allowed in the ring.

People in the livestock industry have also supported the city government's plan.

They say the facilities will be greatly helpful in reinforcing Jeongeup's brand as a hub of the livestock industry, in which more than 10 percent of its population works.

If the city government pushes ahead with the plan, which is likely, the construction project is expected to be finished in late 2018.

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