South Korea to End Bear Bile Farming
Thursday, 2026/01/01171 words3 minutes228 reads
South Korea has announced it will officially end its controversial bear bile farming industry starting January 1, 2024. This decision comes as part of a broader agreement made in 2022 between officials, farmers, and animal rights groups to improve animal welfare.
Bear bile, extracted from the gallbladders of Asiatic black bears, has been used in traditional medicine and as a food believed to promote health. However, the practice has faced increasing criticism due to concerns about animal cruelty and doubts about its medicinal effectiveness.
The new law will prohibit breeding bears and extracting their bile, with violators facing prison sentences. While 21 bears have already been moved to a government-run sanctuary, about 200 bears still remain on farms. The government is working on relocating these animals and providing financial support to farmers during the transition.
Animal rights activists have praised this move but are calling for larger sanctuaries to accommodate the rescued bears. Some farmers, however, are unhappy with the compensation offered and argue that the policy is unfair to them.
