SEOUL — South Korean policymakers and animal advocates are actively debating a new legal framework aimed at elevating animal welfare from basic protection to proactive care, as lawmakers advance competing proposals for a Framework Act on Animal Welfare.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) said on Nov. 15 that transitioning from animal protection to animal welfare is a core pillar of the administration’s broader policy goal of building a society where people and animals thrive together. Rather than focusing primarily on preventing cruelty, the proposed legislation seeks to establish a nationwide policy foundation across different animal categories and uses.

Momentum has built in the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee. In July, Rep. Seo Sam-seok of the Democratic Party introduced a bill defining central and local government duties, mandating a five-year comprehensive welfare plan, creating a ministerial-level Animal Welfare Committee, and laying the groundwork for an Animal Welfare Promotion Agency. The measure cleared a full committee review on Nov. 6 and moved to a subcommittee. Rep. Yoon Jun-byung, also of the Democratic Party, put forward a separate bill last month focused on codifying core welfare principles and requiring annual national assessments and public disclosures on animal protection and welfare, which is currently pending before the committee.

Advocacy groups are urging lawmakers to broaden the philosophical scope of the law. In a recent study on drafting the framework act, the institute AWARE argued that Article 3 of the existing Animal Protection Act—rooted in the "Five Freedoms," such as freedom from hunger, thirst, disease, and pain—primarily guards against harm and distress rather than actively fostering positive states.

To address that gap, AWARE recommended anchoring the legislation in the "Five Domains" model: nutrition, environment, health, behavior, and mental state. Under this approach, policies would aim not only to keep animals safe and healthy, but also to allow natural behaviors and positive experiences such as enjoyment. The report also stressed placing a clear legal duty on owners to account for species, individual traits, and life stages, and to take active steps supporting both physical and mental well-being to curb neglect and substandard care.

On governance, AWARE suggested shared jurisdiction among MAFRA, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, reflecting how companion, farm, wild, and aquatic animals fall under different portfolios. It further recommended placing the Animal Welfare Committee under the Prime Minister so it can actively coordinate ministries and oversee policy planning, execution, and evaluation rather than serving only as a consultative panel.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]