[앵커]
Three bears who recently escaped from the breeding facility and killed the owner couple were killed.
There were two previous escapes, but the punishment was only a fine, and the bear was returned to the original facility, which eventually led to a disaster.
Reporter Lee Yoon-jae reports.
[기자]
A gunshot breaks the silence on the brightly lit farm.
This is the moment when a bear escaped from the breeding facility and attacked a couple in their 60s.
This isn’t the first time the bear has escaped.
One escaped in May of last year, and the same accident occurred in 2019.
Bears that escaped their cages were captured and returned to their original unlicensed facility.
According to the Wildlife Act, if you want to breed internationally endangered species such as black bears, you must have proper facilities and register them with the Minister of Environment.
The farm owner was fined for breaking the law after the escape accident, but did not register the facility.
[낙동강유역환경청 관계자 : 사육시설 미등록으로 불법으로 사육하고 있었던 겁니다. 환경청이 분기마다 점검을 가고 있고 이번 3분기에 확인했습니다.]
The Nakdong River Basin Environment Agency, which is in charge of management and supervision, is in the position that there is no basis for killing or confiscating bears that are classified as private property.
In addition, the reality is that there are no facilities to manage even if they are confiscated.
[낙동강유역환경청 관계자 : 몰수해도 관리할 수 있는 시설이 지금 없거든요. 환경부에서 지금 시설 건립을 추진하고 있고, 2024년에 완공 예정으로 진행 중에 있거든요.]
Animal groups claim that a bill to ban bear breeding has already been proposed in May, but is pending in the National Assembly and the government’s response has been lukewarm.
[조희경 / 동물자유연대 대표 : 이런 탈출 사고라든가 인명 사고가 더 발생할 수 있는 환경을 없애버리는 것이 중요합니다. 불법 시설물이라든가 그다음에 불법행위가 일어나는 곳일수록 시설을 폐쇄할 수 있는 근거를 법규에 마련해야 합니다.]
Even after a series of breeding bears escaped, only a complacent response was repeated, and in the end, both humans and bears lost their lives.
Voices are growing that systems and facilities for wildlife management should be prepared as soon as possible.
This is YTN Lee Yoon-jae.
YTN Yoonjae Lee (lyj1025@ytn.co.kr)
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