韓國擬賦予動物法律地位

South Korea plans to change its civil code to grant animals legal status, Choung Jae-min, legal counsel at the country's justice ministry, told Reuters.

韓國司法部法律顧問莊載民(音譯)告訴路透社稱，韓國計劃修改民法，賦予動物法律地位。

The amendment will probably be approved by parliament in September and will recognise animals as sentient beings, with a right to protection and welfare.

韓國國會很可能會在9月通過這項修正案，承認動物是有知覺的生物，且擁有被保護及享受福利的權(quán)利。

The number of animal abuse cases in the country increased from 69 in 2010 to 914 in 2019, data published by a lawmaker's office showed.

韓國某議員辦公室發(fā)布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，韓國虐待動物案件數(shù)量從2010年的69件上升到了2019年的914件。

Under the current legal system, animals are treated as objects, Jae-Min said.

莊載民稱，按照現(xiàn)行的法律體系，動物被當成物品來對待。

Once the Civil Act declares animals are no longer simply things, judges and prosecutors will have more options when determining sentences, he said.

一旦民法宣布動物不再是物品，法官和檢察官在裁決時將有更多選擇。