1. Reasons for Amendment

The Wildlife Protection and Management Act was amended (Act No. 19088; promulgated on December 13, 2022; to be enforced on December 14, 2023) to prescribe the introduction of an integrated wild animals management system for efficient management of matters relating to the import, export, etc. of wild animals. Accordingly, this Amendment prescribes detailed matters necessary for system operation, such as the scope of information provision for the operation of the integrated wild animals management system, clarifies grounds for the delegation of authority and entrustment of duties, and otherwise addresses and improves upon a number of weaknesses that have emerged from the operation of the current system.

2. Major Provisions

A. “Scope of information requested from heads of relevant administrative agencies and local governments (Article 6)

Prescribe matters relating to permissions and reports regarding the import of wild animals, etc. as information that may be requested in accordance with newly inserted grounds (Article 6-2 of the Wildlife Protection and Management Act) allowing information specified by Presidential Decree, such as wildlife import records, to be requested from the head of the relevant administrative agency or local government for the purpose of wildlife protection and management.

B. Improve standards on compensation for damage caused by wild animals (Article 7)

This section addresses the omission of human casualties in the current provisions concerning the standards and procedures for damage caused by wild animals.

C. Amount insured by insurance purchased by wild animal hunters (Article 35)

Any person who has obtained hunting permission is required to purchase insurance to compensate for damage if they inflict harm on the safety, health, or property of a third party during the course of hunting. The Decree prescribes that the insurance purchased shall cover at least the minimum compensation amount. The Amendment increases the minimum compensation amount in accordance with recommendations (June 27, 2022; Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Recommended Improvements for Compulsory Disaster Safety Insurance).

D. Delegation of authority and entrustment of duties (Article 39-2)

The Decree specifies the institutions entrusted with duties to clarify grounds for the delegation of authority regarding the operation of the integrated wild animals management system and the performance of duties by institutions that are entrusted to respond to wild animal diseases such as African Swine Fever (ASF) and reduce damage to wild animals caused by collisions/crashes.