分类： society

SEOUL, South Korea — In a historic decision for animal welfare, South Korea has officially prohibited its long-controversial bear bile farming industry effective January 1st. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced the comprehensive ban on bear breeding, possession, and bile extraction, implementing revised animal protection legislation that mandates prison sentences of two to five years for violations.

This industry, one of the few remaining globally, primarily involved Asiatic black bears (moon bears) farmed for their gall bladders used in traditional medicine. The practice has dramatically declined over the past twenty years due to skepticism about medicinal efficacy, availability of affordable alternatives, and growing public consciousness about animal cruelty.

The prohibition executes a 2022 tripartite agreement between government authorities, farmers, and animal rights organizations to terminate bear bile operations by 2026. Under this arrangement, animal advocacy groups are tasked with purchasing bears from farmers while the government establishes sanctuary facilities.

Implementation challenges persist as approximately 199 bears remain confined across 11 domestic farms. Disagreements over appropriate compensation amounts have slowed the transition process. Thus far, 21 bears have been successfully relocated to a government-operated sanctuary in Jeolla province.

The Environment Ministry has instituted a six-month grace period for existing farmers and will enforce financial incentives for those maintaining proper care until bears can be transferred. Environment Minister Kim Sungwhan characterized the move as demonstrating “our country’s resolve to improve welfare of wild animals and fulfill our related responsibility,” pledging to ensure protection “until the last one.”

Farmer perspectives reveal the economic complexities. Kim KwangSoo, who maintains 78 bears in Dangjin, described the policy as “very bad,” noting substantial debts from upkeep costs despite his intention to comply with regulations.

While animal rights organizations applaud the prohibition, they highlight infrastructure shortcomings. Current sanctuary capacity remains inadequate, with existing facilities accommodating only 30-49 bears versus the hundreds requiring relocation. A second planned facility has faced delays, now scheduled for 2027 opening due to flooding complications.

Korea Animal Rights Advocates director Cheon JinKyung acknowledged the government’s progressive stance while emphasizing that “there aren’t sufficient measures to protect bears” and “there aren’t place where these bears can stay.” The industry originated in the early 1980s with bears imported from Southeast Asia, once numbering over 1,000 animals before the recent decline.

Hanoi is grappling with a severe air pollution emergency as the Vietnamese capital registered among the world’s worst air quality levels this week. On December 10th, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 223, catapulting Hanoi to the third most polluted city globally according to IQAir’s real-time measurements.

The hazardous conditions have persisted for several days, with thick smog laden with fine particulate matter enveloping the city. Monitoring systems from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment confirmed multiple locations had reached the ‘purple zone’ threshold—classified as very unhealthy—prompting serious health concerns among the city’s residents.

Environmental officials attribute the crisis to a convergence of factors. Le Thanh Thuy, Deputy Head of Hanoi’s Environmental Management Division, cited year-end urban upgrading projects, chronic traffic congestion, increased transportation of construction materials, and widespread open burning of waste and agricultural by-products as primary contributors. ‘The weather conditions have not been favorable while many activities peak at the end of the year, placing enormous pressure on Hanoi,’ Thuy noted.

Experts emphasize that the pollution problem extends beyond city limits. Hoang Duong Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network, identified neighboring provinces including Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh and Hung Yen as significant pollution sources affecting the capital region. Tung advocated for implementing artificial intelligence to validate, clean, and synchronize air quality data, stating that ‘only with accurate, transparent, real-time data can we build appropriate scenarios and policies.’

In response to the escalating crisis, Vietnam’s National Assembly approved a Resolution addressing environmental protection policies. The comprehensive plan mandates urgent action to improve air quality in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City during 2025-2026, establishing specific targets including a 20% reduction in average annual PM2.5 concentrations by 2030 compared to 2024 levels.

The Resolution outlines concrete measures including stricter vehicle emissions controls, limitations on highly polluting vehicles in urban centers, enhanced regulation of construction and transport waste, restrictions on agricultural burning, and expanded wastewater treatment systems. Additionally, lawmakers directed the creation of a national environmental information system featuring real-time public maps of environmental quality to support monitoring and early-warning efforts.

Kathmandu Valley’s iconic mountain vistas have vanished beneath a thick haze as winter air pollution reaches critical levels. The seasonal combination of dry winds, agricultural burning, and urban emissions has transformed Nepal’s capital into one of Asia’s most polluted urban environments, with PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations soaring to hazardous levels.

Local residents like Dinesh Lal Shrestha from Tarakeshwar Municipality report confronting farmers engaged in open burning of agricultural waste, though these individual efforts prove largely ineffective. Municipal authorities have implemented measures including public notices and potential fines of up to 10,000 rupees ($70) for waste burning violations, yet acknowledge the limitations of their jurisdiction.

Environmental experts emphasize that fragmented approaches cannot solve what is fundamentally a regional crisis. Bhushan Tuladhar, a prominent environmentalist, states that current measures remain insufficient to produce meaningful results. The problem intensifies during winter months when temperature inversions trap pollutants, compounded by agricultural burning practices in surrounding regions.

Air quality specialist Bhupendra Das warns that the situation will deteriorate further as harvesting season progresses in the Tarai region, where stubble burning remains common practice. The economic implications are severe: the World Bank estimates air pollution costs Nepal over 6% of its GDP annually through reduced labor productivity, tourism impacts, and healthcare burdens.

Most alarmingly, air pollution has emerged as Nepal’s leading risk factor for death and disability, surpassing both malnutrition and tobacco use. The World Bank reports approximately 26,000 premature deaths annually attributable to poor air quality, reducing average life expectancy by over three years.

Experts unanimously call for coordinated action across all municipal boundaries, including strict enforcement against waste burning, public awareness campaigns, regulation of industrial emissions, and specialized equipment for forest fire management. Without unified regional cooperation, Kathmandu’s air quality crisis will continue to escalate with devastating human and economic consequences.

In a landmark infrastructure achievement, Tibet Autonomous Region has established complete postal and delivery service coverage across all rural territories, including its most remote farming and pastoral communities. The announcement came from regional officials on Monday, marking the successful culmination of extensive logistics network development.

Lhakpa, an official from the market supervision department of Xizang’s postal administration, revealed the region has established 1,324 postal and express delivery outlets while modernizing 2,410 village-level postal logistics stations. This comprehensive network ensures express delivery services now penetrate every administrative village throughout the mountainous region.

“We have realized distribution centers in every county, service outlets in every township, and delivery services in every village,” Lhakpa stated, emphasizing the completeness of the coverage. The official further noted that rural postal routes have achieved full motorization, with vehicle-based delivery operations implemented across all transportation corridors.

The infrastructure breakthrough addresses the persistent “last mile” delivery challenge that long plagued remote agricultural and pastoral regions. Farmers and herders can now access postal services within their own villages, enjoying service quality comparable to urban standards.

Parallel to logistics improvements, Xizang has aggressively expanded e-commerce capabilities. Zhao Lei, an official from the regional commerce department, highlighted the “Free Shipping for Xizang” initiative implemented during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). This program encouraged major e-commerce platforms including Taobao, Tmall and JD.com to offer free or discounted shipping to Xizang while balancing commercial interests with social responsibilities.

JD Group emerged as a significant partner, investing over 500 million yuan ($71 million) directly into Xizang through its “E-Commerce in Rural Areas” project while attracting an additional 1.5 billion yuan in external investment.

According to Su Yinghu, head of China Post’s Xizang branch, a comprehensive rural e-commerce ecosystem has taken shape over the past five years, integrating agricultural sales, logistics distribution and inclusive financial services. This system has facilitated over 230,000 agricultural product orders with total sales exceeding 132 million yuan, while nearly 1.3 billion yuan in agriculture-related loans have supported local businesses and created over 1,300 jobs.

The impact is visibly transformative for residents. Pema, a villager from Tashigang village in Nyingchi city, reported dramatically improved convenience: “Packages often arrive within a few days. Our local products, such as mushrooms and local pork, can now be sold across the country.”