"Give 'Freedom Outside the Cage' to the Escaped Asiatic Black Bear" [Hello? Animal]

Escaped Asiatic Black Bear Found in Nearby Hills After 4 Months
Farm Owner with Bear Ownership Currently Detained
Animal Rights Group: "Bear Farming Industry Is Cruel... Do Not Return Bear to Harsh Conditions"
Ministry of Environment to Ban Bear Farming in Korea Starting 2026

A half-moon bear is trapped inside an iron cage. Photo by Animal Freedom Coalition

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Last year, a moon bear that escaped from a bear breeding farm in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province was found in a nearby mountain, prompting appeals not to return the captive bear to its harsh breeding environment.

The reality of the bear breeding industry, where bears are raised for bear bile extraction, is not only horrific but also raises concerns that if the bears are returned as is while the farm owner is under arrest, they are unlikely to receive proper protection.

According to Yongin City on the 29th, the Korea National Park Service captured a moon bear on a mountain behind Cheoin-gu in the afternoon and launched a capture operation. This bear is presumed to be the last of the five moon bears that escaped from a bear breeding farm in Cheoin-gu on the morning of November 22 last year. Among the escaped bears at that time, two were captured alive and two were shot.

The reason the bear's whereabouts were unknown for four months after escaping in November last year is believed to be hibernation. The Han River Basin Environmental Office speculates that the bear was hibernating during the winter and started to become active as the temperature rose.

In response, animal rights groups criticized the cruelty of the captive bear industry, which suppresses the bears' natural wild instincts. While it is typical for bears to hibernate in winter, captive bears are raised in environments where hibernation is difficult, preventing them from following this natural behavior.

Animal Freedom Coalition issued a statement on the day, saying, "(If the Han River Basin Environmental Office's speculation is true) it means the bear naturally attempted hibernation according to its instincts and habits without separate learning, indicating that the approximately 300 captive bears nationwide live under extreme oppression regardless of their natural ecology." According to the Ministry of Environment, as of January, there are 360 captive bears in South Korea.

The organization further stated, "We strongly oppose returning the Yongin escaped captive bear, which barely survived for several months after escape, back to its original cage. We also demand that the bears be captured safely without being killed and relocated to facilities that can fully guarantee their welfare."

Five escaped Asiatic black bears at a bear breeding farm in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, where they were being raised.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The problem is that there are no suitable facilities to protect the bears. Since the ownership of the bears belongs to the farm owner, if the bears are captured, they will return to the poor conditions of the breeding farm. According to Cho Hee-kyung, head of Animal Freedom Coalition, the two bears previously captured are still at the farm.

Animal rights groups point out that bears are left in cages made entirely of wire mesh at the bear breeding farms. Cho explained, "According to bear breeding environment standards, bears should be provided with water puddles. However, since there are no water puddles at the farm, the bears end up eating the filth under the cage created by their own excrement, which is a cruel environment."

However, even managing this has become difficult. The farm owner who managed the bears was arrested and indicted on February 10 for obstruction of official duties by intimidation and violation of the Animal Protection Act, and was sentenced to six months in prison. Even the farm owner's family has given up managing the remaining bears, and the Environmental Office is currently taking over management at the request of animal rights groups.

Cho said, "Since the farm owner failed to fulfill management duties, costs should be charged. Also, if the farm owner has any conscience, it would be good to humanely relinquish ownership of the bears and hand them over to us. We are trying to prepare a plan to receive them and send them to a sanctuary." Previously, on the 15th, Animal Freedom Coalition relocated 22 bears rescued from a farm in Donghae City in July 2020 to a sanctuary in the United States.

Meanwhile, bear breeding in South Korea will be banned starting in 2026. Remaining captive bears will be transferred to protection facilities and managed by the government. On January 26, the Ministry of Environment held a 'Bear Breeding Termination Declaration Ceremony' and signed a business agreement containing these details. Sanctuaries will be established in Seocheon County and Gurye County to create a bear management infrastructure.

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