Caught feeding pigeons? You could face a ₩1 million fine... Yongin to begin enforcement next May, following Seoul and Samcheok

[Financial News] People caught feeding harmful wild animals such as pigeons in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, will face an administrative fine of up to 1 million won.
According to News1 and other outlets on the 8th, Yongin City will survey the extent of damage to residents caused by feeding harmful wild animals from the 6th through the 11th of next month. The survey will cover places that frequently receive related complaints, including parks, areas around light rail stations, apartment complexes and densely packed shopping districts.
The city believes that repeatedly feeding animals in specific locations can attract pigeons and other harmful wild animals, causing problems such as droppings, feathers blowing around, foul odors and contamination of facilities.
Based on the survey results, the city plans to identify places where damage recurs and select candidate sites for prohibited areas. After issuing an advance administrative notice and gathering residents’ opinions, it will finalize and announce the locations and boundaries of the prohibited areas, as well as the activities that will be banned, by March next year. It will then conduct a public information and guidance period in April before beginning full-scale enforcement in May.
Under the “Yongin City Ordinance on the Prohibition of Feeding Harmful Wild Animals,” which took effect in January this year, administrative fines will be imposed at 200,000 won for a first violation, 500,000 won for a second, and 1 million won for a third or subsequent violation. Feeding will not be banned throughout Yongin City; enforcement will apply only in prohibited areas designated and announced in the future.
Meanwhile, feral pigeons have established themselves in urban areas, partly thanks to food provided by people, and concerns about hygiene and appearance caused by their droppings and other issues have persisted. As a result, more local governments are restricting the feeding of pigeons.
Since July last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has imposed administrative fines at the same rates as Yongin for feeding animals in prohibited areas, and stepped up enforcement in May this year. Gangwon Province’s Samcheok City also designated 19 prohibited areas in September and plans to impose fines of up to 1 million won starting in January next year, after a guidance period running through the end of December.
[email protected] Kim Su-yeon Reporter