"Feeding Pigeons Results in 1 Million Won Fine"…Seoul City Passes Ordinance Amendment

Starting from March next year, anyone caught feeding nuisance wildlife such as pigeons and magpies in places like Seoul's Hangang Park will be fined up to 1 million KRW.

On the afternoon of the 20th, the Seoul Metropolitan Council passed the ordinance titled "Seoul City Ordinance on Prohibition of Feeding Nuisance Wildlife" at the 6th plenary session of the 327th regular meeting, which includes this provision.

This ordinance follows the amendment of the "Wildlife Protection and Management Act," which allows local government heads to prohibit feeding nuisance wildlife through ordinances and impose fines for violations.

On Sejong-daero in Seoul, where the car-free street policy is implemented, a sparrow is watching a pigeon eat. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Under current law, nuisance wildlife includes species such as sparrows, magpies, and crows that cause damage to crops or fruit trees by forming flocks over a long period, as well as species with excessively high population densities in certain areas causing damage, such as pheasants, pigeons, water deer, wild boars, and Korean squirrels.

Additionally, urban parks, national infrastructure, cultural heritage protection zones, and Hangang Park are designated as "feeding prohibition zones," where violators caught during enforcement will be fined up to 1 million KRW.

The ordinance will take effect on January 24 next year. However, the fine imposition regulation will have a grace period and will be enforced starting March 1 next year.

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