SOUTH KOREA


FACT SHEET

BEARS KILLED FOR KOREA


As a man deals with animals, so shall he be dealt with by the forces of life in general
From a book written by.- Dr Ginacerminara

The Korean Issue:

FACTS

  • The International illegal trade of wildlife is estimated to be worth $6 billion per year.
  • South Koreans are the greatest source of demand.
  • Bears in Korea have been practically wiped out (Asiatic Black Bears).
  • Bear populations all over the world are threatened by this demand.
  • Bear gall bladder and bear meat were brought in from Thailand to fortify South Korean athletes at the 1988 Seoul olympic Games: the Spectacled Bear ± 30 bears were used there.
  • Korean Government shows little political will to address the problem of illegal trade in bear parts.
  • The trade is out of control.


What is it used for?

  • Liver diseases
  • Self-pick-me-up tonics
  • Aphrodisiacs
  • Paws are considered as great delicacy to eat
  • Detoxifying and invigorating properties
  • Throat lozenges
  • Shampoos


FACT

Some Koreans show preference for bile juices rather than the gall bladder especially from the more endangered species.


Why is the demand increasing?

  • Historically, only the industrial moguls, famous politicians and foreign VIP's could buy bear paws from a real bear. Now it is within the reach of the general public at large.
  • Gram for gram it is more expensive than cocaine: 1 "gall" can sell for thousands of dollars.
  • Trading is done secretly.

FACT

South Korea has +- 3600 traditional medical clinics.

What have the police confiscated over the past few years?

  • 1994 - 82 kg of bear gall.
  • 1995 - 177 kg of bear gall.
  • 1996 - 66 kg of bear gall.
  • This represents thousands of bears killed annually and more kilos go by undetected by the law.


What about the bear bile farms in Korea?

  • In the 1970's over 1000 bears were imported and a number of private farms established.
  • In 1991 there was a TV documentary, resulting in a public outcry. The president said it was 'Shameful, inhumane and criminal". Government moved to ban bear farms.
  • Now there are 1 325 bears remaining on farms. Bile is imported from China.


NEWS UPDATE - AUGUST 1998


1 300 Bears now live their lives "in limbo " on 108 farms across Korea. In 1992 the Government officially banned bear farming and made the export of bile illegal. According to authorities the catheter implants for extracting bile have been removed from the bears.The bear farmers are suffering major losses of income and are lobbying the Govemment to allow them to sell gall bladders of bears who die naturally.The Govemment have no plans to introduce this scheme. Animal Asia Foundation and the Korean Authorities are now assessing the potential to convert their farms into semi-natural sanctuaries where the bears can live out the rest of their lives and the farmer can generate a living through tourist revenue.
Animals Asia Foundation will keep us informed of this issue.

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