Korean will introduce a tougher animal protection law next year and impose harsher penalties on those who abandon pets and exhibit cruelty towards animals, the government said Monday.

The government plans to revise the animal protection law so that tougher rules can go into effect in 2008 to strictly ban indiscriminate experiments on animals in laboratories and significantly increase the fine for those who treat animals cruelly.

Currently, offenders only face a maximum fine of 200,000 won ($215).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is considering raising the sum to 5 million won ($5,370) to get tougher with offenders.

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full story:
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200701/kt2007010815543311990.htm