SEOUL—Today, Humane Society International delivered 10,000 #ScienceWithoutSuffering petition signatures gathered in support of reducing and replacing animal testing for checmicals to National Assembly member Ms. Jeong Ae Han.

Since coming into effect in 2015, Korea’s Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemical Substances legislation, or K-REACH, has led to a disturbing increase in animal testing. Last September, Ms. Han announced her K-REACH reform bill aimed at prioritising non-animal test methods by stipulating animal testing only as a last resort, avoiding duplicate animal testing, and promoting the development and use of alternatives. The bill is expected to go through Environment and Labour Committee discussion this month.

Support our efforts to end animal testing.

HSI launched its Science Without Suffering campaign to promote scientific research using emerging technologies without laboratory animals. HSI is urging the public to support Ms Han’s reform bill.

Many Korean citizens who signed the #ScienceWithoutSuffering petition left messages of support, including,

• “I live with a companion animal but didn’t know that animals are tested for chemical testing. I also didn’t know that there are alternative methods available to replace animal use. Hope many more people will learn about it and support this campaign”-Kim, Yongin city.
• “I’m sure there are alternative ways of animal testing in this advanced society. If we can stop abusing animals, now is the time to stop.”-Jin, Incheon city.
• “Please make science without animal suffering possible”.-Lee, Gwangju city.

HSI Senior Policy Advisor Borami Seo said, “We often hear that chemical companies are still choosing to conduct animal tests rather than to use existing data or alternative methods because it may be faster or cheaper. It is simply unacceptable that the lives of animals should be given so little value that they are made to suffer for the sake of convenience. By using existing test data and taking advantage of emerging technologies, we not only save animals from painful and lethal testing, but also offer far stronger protections for consumer safety.”

HSI continues to receive signatures for Science Without Suffering to pass the K-REACH bill. The public can also support this by participating in Text Action and urging law makers to show their support for the bill.

Join Text Action (available only in Korean):

https://blog.naver.com/hsianimals/221192703050

#ScienceWithoutSuffering petition page: http://hsi.org/koreascience

Media contact: Borami Seo bseo@hsi.org