Former Care Director Park Soyeon Arrested for Blocking Police Car with Soju Bottle

Clash Occurs at Dog Fighting Association Press Conference
Arrested on Charges of Obstructing Special Official Duties

On the 6th, Park So-yeon, the former representative of the animal rights organization 'CARE,' who had a physical altercation with officials from the Korea Dog Meat Association, was arrested on charges of obstructing official duties.

On the 11th, Chuncheon Police Station announced that Park So-yeon, former representative of the animal rights organization 'CARE,' was detained on the 8th on charges of obstructing official duties. Park is accused of obstructing police duties by blocking a police riot squad vehicle with a soju bottle around 4:50 PM on the 6th in front of Chuncheon City Hall in Gangwon Province.

Former CEO Park So-yeon of the animal rights organization 'CARE'
[Photo by Yonhap News]

At that time, the Korea Dog Meat Association was holding a press conference in front of City Hall. During the press conference, the Korea Dog Meat Association claimed, "The animal rights organization 'CARE' claims to report illegal activities but is actually conducting a national grand deception by raising donations through emotional marketing targeting the public." They continued, "The basic rights to national food and freedom of occupational choice must be protected," and demanded, "Chuncheon City should manage and supervise the dog slaughterhouse, which has been approved as a dog meat processing facility and registered as a building, to ensure proper dog slaughtering."

Earlier, when evidence of illegal dog slaughter was found at a dog meat processing facility in Chuncheon, animal rights organizations such as CARE and Watchdog demanded crackdowns and administrative actions against illegal dog slaughterhouses and dog farms in the area. On that day, the Dog Meat Association criticized CARE for touring suspected illegal slaughterhouses and livestreaming online to raise donations.

In response, CARE demanded the closure of illegal dog slaughterhouses, and before and after the press conference, loud exchanges and physical confrontations occurred between CARE and the Dog Meat Association officials. Park So-yeon and one CARE member were arrested on the spot for blocking a police riot squad vehicle with a soju bottle as it tried to leave the press conference venue. Park was subsequently detained, while the member was released.

Park So-yeon is currently appealing a two-year prison sentence handed down in February in the first trial for violating the Animal Protection Act by euthanizing 98 animals between 2015 and 2018 to reduce animal treatment costs. Additionally, on the 12th of last month, she was sentenced to four months in prison with a two-year probation for exposing the identity of a whistleblower who reported the case on social media and defaming former executive members of the organization.

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