South Korea is under fire from governments, including New Zealand, and environmentalists

South Korea is under fire from governments, including New Zealand, and environmentalists about its plan to resume hunting whales under a “scientific” research program.

South Korea told a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in Panama City it intends to begin a scientific whaling programme in the north-west Pacific.

It said whaling is a longstanding cultural tradition.

Prime Minister John Key described the move as a terrible step in the wrong direction.

“It’s a terrible step in the wrong direction. We think it’s unnecessary, we think it’s inappropriate and we don’t think the stocks would support that,” Key told reporters in Sydney where he attended a business lunch.

“Most people around the world would be disappointed if the Koreans took this step.”

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said the so-called scientific move will have no more credibility than a similar program by Japan.

“In this day and age there is simply no need to kill whales in order to conduct effective research,” McCully said.

World Wildlife Fund said South Korea’s fishing assertion has no scientific basis.

Source AAP and Reuters