Three cases detected since city launched fine system last year
'Repeated, deliberate feeding above a certain amount' required for penalty
Objection process underway before fines are formally issued
Pigeon-related complaints reached 1,658 last year
On a weekday morning in late June, a man in his 70s appeared near a Seoul subway station carrying a plastic disposable bowl. He scattered its contents onto the road twice. A flock of pigeons immediately converged and began pecking at what had fallen. What the man had thrown was cat food.
The incident marks the first detected violations since the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched its pigeon-feeding fine system in July last year — though no fines have actually been issued yet, as the objection process is still underway. Seoul has confirmed three cases in total. The violators are one man in his 70s and two women in their 60s. All three deliberately scattered cat food on public roads, spreading between 500 grams and 1 kilogram of feed each time.
Under the Wildlife Protection and Management Act revised in January last year, Seoul designated 38 high-traffic locations — including Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza and Han River parks — as zones where feeding "harmful wildlife" is prohibited. The feral pigeon, a common sight in the city center, is included in that category.
Anyone caught feeding feral pigeons or other prohibited animals in a designated zone faces a fine of 200,000 won ($130) for a first offense, 500,000 won for a second, and up to 1 million won for three or more violations.
Until June, however, not a single fine had been issued under the ban. The city had lacked specific enforcement guidelines for what constituted a punishable feeding act.
"Feeding has to be intentional, regular and above a certain quantity to qualify for enforcement — and in practice, making that judgment on the spot is not easy," a Seoul city official said. "Simply dropping a bit of food while eating, or tossing a few crumbs, was handled with an on-site warning rather than a citation."
Seoul designated June as an intensive enforcement month for the pigeon-feeding ban and stepped up patrols, resulting in the three detections. Fines have not yet been formally imposed on any of the three.
"We are currently notifying the individuals in advance and proceeding with the objection process before any fine is issued," the official said. "If no objection is filed, the fine will be imposed. If an objection is filed, a court will decide whether to uphold it."
Seoul is nonetheless cautious about expanding the ban or tightening enforcement further, given opposition from animal welfare groups. When the pigeon-feeding prohibition bill passed in February last year, the Korea Animal Protection Organizations Alliance strongly condemned it, calling the legislation "a law that spreads animal hatred and contempt for life."
Pigeon-related complaints filed with the city have risen every year — 1,325 in 2022, 1,432 in 2023, 1,481 in 2024 and 1,658 last year.
"The small act of not feeding pigeons, combined with proper food-waste management, will help create a more pleasant environment for residents and a healthier ecosystem where wildlife is less dependent on humans," the official said.
ikson@heraldcorp.com
