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| South Korean whale hunt plan attacked | South Korean whale hunt plan attacked |
| (30 days later) | |
| Australia and other countries have condemned a South Korean plan to begin killing whales in its coastal waters in the name of scientific research. | Australia and other countries have condemned a South Korean plan to begin killing whales in its coastal waters in the name of scientific research. |
| The proposal, announced at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission [IWC] in Panama, would allow South Korea to use a loophole in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling to hunt the mammals under the guise for of scientific research. | The proposal, announced at a meeting of the International Whaling Commission [IWC] in Panama, would allow South Korea to use a loophole in the 1986 moratorium on commercial whaling to hunt the mammals under the guise for of scientific research. |
| Japan uses the same clause to kill hundreds of whales in the Antarctic every year, although for the past two years its fleet has returned with a fraction of its planned catch following confrontations with the marine conservation group Sea Shepherd. | Japan uses the same clause to kill hundreds of whales in the Antarctic every year, although for the past two years its fleet has returned with a fraction of its planned catch following confrontations with the marine conservation group Sea Shepherd. |
| The South Korean delegation did not say how many whales it would kill, but insisted it did not need foreign approval. It added that minke whale numbers in its coastal waters had recovered since the moratorium went into effect. | The South Korean delegation did not say how many whales it would kill, but insisted it did not need foreign approval. It added that minke whale numbers in its coastal waters had recovered since the moratorium went into effect. |
| Citing a tradition of whale meat consumption in South Korea, the country's head envoy to the IWC, Kang Joon-Suk, said: "Legal whaling has been strictly banned and subject to strong punishments, though the 26 years have been painful and frustrating for the people who have been traditionally taking whales for food." | Citing a tradition of whale meat consumption in South Korea, the country's head envoy to the IWC, Kang Joon-Suk, said: "Legal whaling has been strictly banned and subject to strong punishments, though the 26 years have been painful and frustrating for the people who have been traditionally taking whales for food." |
| Kang said South Korean whalers would operate in coastal waters, unlike Japan, which has angered Australia, New Zealand and other countries by sending a fleet to the Southern Ocean every winter. | Kang said South Korean whalers would operate in coastal waters, unlike Japan, which has angered Australia, New Zealand and other countries by sending a fleet to the Southern Ocean every winter. |
| The Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, said she would fight condemned the new proposal, whilst"We will make our voices heard today," she told reporters. "Our ambassador will speak to counterparts in South Korea at the highest levels of the South Korea government and indicate Australia's opposition to this decision." Australia's former environment minister, Ian Campbell, told Australian television from aboard a Sea Shepherd vessel that the group would "have to get organised to go out to the oceans and save the whales off South Korea". New Zealand's envoy, Gerard van Bohemen, condemned the proposal and urged South Korea to consider non-lethal research methods. He said the plan was "unnecessary and borders on the reckless. New Zealand is strongly opposed to Korea's proposal"." | The Australian prime minister, Julia Gillard, said she would fight condemned the new proposal, whilst"We will make our voices heard today," she told reporters. "Our ambassador will speak to counterparts in South Korea at the highest levels of the South Korea government and indicate Australia's opposition to this decision." Australia's former environment minister, Ian Campbell, told Australian television from aboard a Sea Shepherd vessel that the group would "have to get organised to go out to the oceans and save the whales off South Korea". New Zealand's envoy, Gerard van Bohemen, condemned the proposal and urged South Korea to consider non-lethal research methods. He said the plan was "unnecessary and borders on the reckless. New Zealand is strongly opposed to Korea's proposal"." |
| An official in Seoul said South Korea had every right to monitor the impact whales were having on the country's fishing industry. "We've submitted a proposal to the IWC's scientific committee to resume scientific whaling in our waters and will await the committee's assessment," the official told Reuters. "If it says it is not adequate in their assessment of the legitimacy of scientific research, we'll make further preparations." | An official in Seoul said South Korea had every right to monitor the impact whales were having on the country's fishing industry. "We've submitted a proposal to the IWC's scientific committee to resume scientific whaling in our waters and will await the committee's assessment," the official told Reuters. "If it says it is not adequate in their assessment of the legitimacy of scientific research, we'll make further preparations." |
| The World Wildlife Fund said there was no evidence for claims by South Korean fishermen that whales were depleting coastal fish stocks, adding that minke whales are considered endangered. | The World Wildlife Fund said there was no evidence for claims by South Korean fishermen that whales were depleting coastal fish stocks, adding that minke whales are considered endangered. |
| James Lorenz, a Greenpeace spokesman, told Australian televisionsaid: "It's an absolute shock this happened at this meeting and it's an absolute disgrace because to say that hunting whales is happening in the name of science is just wrong.Essentially, it's commercial whaling in another form."Most international criticism has been directed at Japan's insistence on hunting whales and selling their meat on the open market, but many Koreans also consider whale meat a delicacy. | James Lorenz, a Greenpeace spokesman, told Australian televisionsaid: "It's an absolute shock this happened at this meeting and it's an absolute disgrace because to say that hunting whales is happening in the name of science is just wrong.Essentially, it's commercial whaling in another form."Most international criticism has been directed at Japan's insistence on hunting whales and selling their meat on the open market, but many Koreans also consider whale meat a delicacy. |
| Before the 1986 ban, South Korea said it caught about 600 whales a year and that most of the meat was consumed. It currently sells whale meat from animals accidentally caught in fishing nets. | Before the 1986 ban, South Korea said it caught about 600 whales a year and that most of the meat was consumed. It currently sells whale meat from animals accidentally caught in fishing nets. |
| In Japan, however, the appetite for whale meat is in decline, according to a recent report./ends/ | In Japan, however, the appetite for whale meat is in decline, according to a recent report./ends/ |
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