Korea to Introduce Stronger Animal Protection Law Next Year: Window Dressing or Sincerity?

I do worry that this bill if passed would be merely window dressing. As most know, there are serious animal treatment issues in Asia. Hence, it’s hard to imagine a government being sincerely concerned about these issues. Yet, we will see. My other question is why 2008? If sincere, why not now?

Article:

Korea to Introduce Tougher Animal Protection Law in 2008

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/
200701/kt2007010815543311990.htm

Korean will introduce a tougher animal protection law next year and impose harsher penalties on those who abandon pets and exhibit cruelty towards animals, the government said Monday.

The government plans to revise the animal protection law so that tougher rules can go into effect in 2008 to strictly ban indiscriminate experiments on animals in laboratories and significantly increase the fine for those who treat animals cruelly.

Currently, offenders only face a maximum fine of 200,000 won ($215).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is considering raising the sum to 5 million won ($5,370) to get tougher with offenders.

The present law also calls for a fine of up to 300,000 won ($320) against pet owners who do not put identifying collars and safety harnesses on animals when they take them outdoors.

The ministry also plans to require local autonomy units to encourage people to register their dogs and cats with authorities to make it easier to return lost pets to owners.