{"id":13621,"date":"2012-07-16T18:07:43","date_gmt":"2012-07-16T18:07:43","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2012-07-16T18:07:43","modified_gmt":"2012-07-16T18:07:43","slug":"South-Korea-dumps-whaling-plan-","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=13621","title":{"rendered":"South Korea dumps whaling plan!"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korea has decided to scrap its fiercely criticised plan to resume “scientific” whaling, apparently because of international pressure, a report said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Discussions between government ministries have been concluded in a way that effectively scraps the plan to allow whaling in coastal waters,” an unnamed senior government official told Yonhap news agency.<\/p>\n

“Even if it is for scientific research, we have to take into consideration that this has emerged as a sensitive issue at home and abroad.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kang Joon-Suk, a senior ministry official, said last week that South Korea may scrap its plan if experts come up with non-lethal means to study the mammals.<\/p>\n

South Korea unveiled its plan to resume whaling at an International Whaling Commission meeting this month in Panama, sparking an international outcry.<\/p>\n

It said it would use a loophole in a global moratorium that permits killing of whales for “scientific” research.<\/p>\n

Greenpeace described scientific whaling as “thinly disguised commercial whaling”.<\/strong> France, the United States, Australia and New Zealand also spoke out strongly against Seoul’s plan.<\/p>\n

South Korea cited what it called a significant increase in whale stocks in its waters and consequent damage to fisheries.<\/p>\n

If it went ahead, it would be the fourth country to kill whales, excluding allowances for indigenous groups.<\/strong> Norway and Iceland openly defy the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling, saying they believe stocks are healthy.<\/p>\n

Japan already uses the loophole for scientific research<\/strong>, with the meat then going to the dinner plate.<\/p>\n

Duh! Why would you ever think of getting involved with this? Whale Wars is a popular series on Animal Planet which fights Japans Whale killers. Never Say Die!<\/strong>
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