No touching – Govt bans cafes exhibiting exotic animals

A ban on the operation of exotic animal cafes – where people can see, touch and interact with the animals – has kicked in this week, in a bid to better protect the animals.

Under the amendment to the Wildlife Protection and Management Act approved at a Cabinet meeting on Dec 5, it is illegal starting yesterday to exhibit “wild animals” in facilities not registered as zoos or aquariums, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Environment.