[Comprehensive] Lee Oisoo and Jo Myungrae Clash Over 'Sancheon-eo Festival'... Animal Abuse Controversy

Jung Myung-rae "A Human-Centered Festival at the Expense of Life"
Lee Oi-su "Not a Festival Destroying the Environment... Hwacheon-gun in Crisis"
Animal Rights Groups Accuse Hwacheon County Mayor of Animal Abuse

On the afternoon of the 3rd, one week before the opening of the 2020 Sancheoneo Festival, Sancheoneo trout were released into the foreigner-only fishing site at Hwacheoncheon, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon Province.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Novelist Lee Oisoo, who served as the ambassador for the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival and Hwacheon County, criticized Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae's recent remarks criticizing the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival in Gangwon Province, calling them "irresponsible comments made without even visiting the festival site." Some civic groups have claimed that the Sancheoneo Festival involves animal cruelty, sparking ongoing controversy.

On the 9th, Lee Oisoo wrote on his Facebook, "The Minister of Environment’s remarks are like personally sprinkling royal salt on the naked bodies of Hwacheon residents who have been butchered with various weapons," expressing his criticism.

On the 6th, Minister Cho said at a press conference regarding the "Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival," "It is a human-centered feast at the expense of life, and I do not think it is desirable."

Lee Oisoo stated, "The Sancheoneo used at the festival are not all wild fish; from eggs to fry to adults, the entire process is artificially managed and supervised by Hwacheon County for festival purposes," adding, "Hwacheon County is the local government with the lowest financial independence and earns about 130 billion won in revenue through the Sancheoneo Festival. It is not a festival that destroys the environment but rather a festival that clearly demonstrates what benefits and pleasures can be gained when protecting and managing the environment."

He continued, "I feel like pleading with animal protection groups and the Minister of Environment to teach us how to eat roasted gravel or boiled sand," emphasizing, "Hwacheon is currently facing a desperate crisis."

Kim Jin-tae (Chuncheon), a member of the Liberty Korea Party, also criticized Minister Cho’s remarks, saying, "It seems he feels sorry for the Sancheoneo, and I also feel sorry when I see the lively Sancheoneo. But you cannot speak so harshly about an issue that affects the livelihood of local residents."

Kim added, "Even without this, we are already worried because the ice is not freezing as much as in previous years, so spreading ashes is just too much," and urged, "He says it is a personal opinion because it caused a problem. If so, he should just go travel personally and stop making meddlesome remarks. He should immediately apologize to the residents of Hwacheon."

On the morning of the 8th, tourists visiting the '2020 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival' held around Hwacheoncheon in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon, are enjoying Sancheoneo fishing. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Choi Moon-soon, Governor of Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, also stated on the same day, "Animal protection groups claim that acts causing unnecessary injury and death to Sancheoneo during the festival period violate the Animal Protection Act, but legal review confirmed that there is no basis for violation of the Animal Protection Act."

When Minister Cho visited Hwacheon on the 5th to inspect the African Swine Fever (ASF) response sites such as wild boar movement blocking fences and carcass burial sites, he also expressed doubts, saying, "I questioned the Wonju Regional Environmental Office Chief, 'Should such a festival continue?'" and added, "Going forward, the Ministry of Environment will make a clearer judgment on what stance and policies to take regarding festivals that proceed while enjoying 'killing living creatures.'"

The Sancheoneo Festival has been continuously embroiled in animal cruelty controversies. The "Save Sancheoneo Movement Headquarters," composed of 11 animal rights organizations including Action for Animals, filed a complaint last month on the 9th against Hwacheon County Governor Choi Moon-soon and others for animal cruelty.

The organizations argued that the festival, which uses living Sancheoneo as tools for experience, violates Article 8 of the Animal Protection Act and the prohibition of animal cruelty.

In particular, the "Save Sancheoneo Movement Headquarters" pointed out at a press conference, "It is a festival for humans but a carnival of death for animals," and criticized, "It is a bizarre event where hundreds of thousands of lives die within just a few weeks, not for human survival but solely for entertainment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.