"Animal Rights Group Appeals Over 'Thrown Live Fish to Death but No Prosecution, Species Discrimination'"

"Thrown Alive and Killed, Violation of Animal Protection Act"
Gyeom "Not Subject to Law as Fish Are for Consumption"

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] An animal rights organization has filed an appeal against the prosecution's decision that it is not possible to apply charges of violating the Animal Protection Act to a fisherman who threw live fish onto the asphalt ground during a rally.

On the 2nd, Animal Liberation Wave held a press conference in front of the main gate of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office and announced that they would submit an appeal regarding the case. Lee Ji-yeon, the representative of Animal Liberation Wave, stated, "The prosecution's interpretation is speciesist," and added, "We hope that the appeal will be accepted and a proper decision will be made to protect the vulnerable."

Previously, in November 2020, a local fish farming association held a rally in Yeouido, urging the government to strengthen quarantine measures, claiming that domestic fishermen suffered significant economic damage due to the import of live fish from Japan. At the rally, an association official performed a demonstration by throwing live fish such as red sea bream and yellowtail onto the ground. In response, Animal Liberation Wave reported the association official A (56) to the police, stating that "throwing live fish onto the ground and killing them is a violation of the Animal Protection Act."

The Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul, which investigated the case, regarded throwing live fish for use in the rally as animal cruelty and sent the case to the prosecution. However, the prosecution decided not to indict, stating that "(the live fish used in the rally) are fish intended for food consumption and are not subject to the Animal Protection Act."

Animal Liberation Wave argued, "Dead yellowtail and red sea bream were not abused for food purposes, and excluding all individuals of the yellowtail or red sea bream species from the Animal Protection Act simply because these species have been used for food is an act that disregards the status and purpose of the Animal Protection Act."

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