South Korea plans to change its civil code to grant animals legal status, Choung Jae-min, legal counsel at the country's justice ministry, told Reuters.

韩国司法部法律顾问庄载民(音译)告诉路透社称，韩国计划修改民法，赋予动物法律地位。

The amendment will probably be approved by parliament in September and will recognise animals as sentient beings, with a right to protection and welfare.

韩国国会很可能会在9月通过这项修正案，承认动物是有知觉的生物，且拥有被保护及享受福利的权利。

The number of animal abuse cases in the country increased from 69 in 2010 to 914 in 2019, data published by a lawmaker's office showed.

韩国某议员办公室发布的数据显示，韩国虐待动物案件数量从2010年的69件上升到了2019年的914件。

Under the current legal system, animals are treated as objects, Jae-Min said.

庄载民称，按照现行的法律体系，动物被当成物品来对待。

Once the Civil Act declares animals are no longer simply things, judges and prosecutors will have more options when determining sentences, he said.

一旦民法宣布动物不再是物品，法官和检察官在裁决时将有更多选择。