(Picture from YonHap News)

Buying and selling fur clothes is popular in Korea. As in the West, it is a symbol of wealth to many people and it satisfies their self-centred vanity.

The reality is that animals such as foxes, rabbits, raccoon dogs and minks are brutally killed just so these people can feel fashionable or chic. The reality is that animals on fur farms spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy wire cages. Fur farmers use the cheapest killing methods available to kill them, including neck-breaking, suffocation, poisoning, and anal or vaginal electrocution.

Many animals on fur farms are electrocuted by having rods inserted into their rectums and 240 volts of electricity sent through their bodies. This fries the animals from the inside out to keep from damaging their pelts. The animals convulse, shake, and often cry out before suffering painful heart attacks.

Elsewhere, in brutal countries such as China, these poor animals might have their skins stripped from them while they were still alive. Other animals are caught in steel traps. Some having to knaw off their own limbs to escape. Other suffer terribly until a hunter arrives to kill them.

Despite the efforts of groups like KARA to protest against such a heinous industry, there has been an increase in fur use around the world. In fact, the fur trade grows every year. This cannot happen without the help of fashion designers, fashion houses and the buying public. All of these sectors share in the guilt for the fur trade industry and its evils.

It is to our great regret that Korea is one of the largest fur processors in the world, and the amount of processing is on a steady increase.

The horrors of the Chinese fur industry have been well documented, and they have caused people from around the world to feel nothing but disgust and disdain for China. However, Korea receives much of the fur from that country, so it too cannot avoid the disgust and loathing of compassionate people in the international community.

The problem in Korea with regard to most animal rights issues is that laws are weak and the consciousness of the general public and of the government of animal rights is well behind international standards. People will buy fur without a second thought and the government will allow the fur industry to continue because it is a money making venture.

KARA will continue to do its best to highlight the horrors behind the furs people buy and wear and protest where it can against the despicable fur industry.