Korean Air Stops Transporting Fighting Roosters: A Major Win for Animal Rights in 2026
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Animal welfare groups released a statement welcoming Korean Air’s decision to suspend transporting roosters from the United States to the Philippines for use in cockfighting.
On May 3, the Korea Animal Protection Association, Voice of Animals, the Association for the Abolition of Animal Fighting, the Korea Vegan Association and the Korea Vegetarian Union said the airline’s move “aligns with international norms and standards.”
The groups noted that Korean Air announced on May 2 (local time) that it would halt shipments of U.S.-bred roosters bound for the Philippines after concerns were raised by U.S. animal welfare organizations.
The statement described cockfighting in the Philippines as an industrialized gambling operation in which handlers attach sharp blades to roosters’ legs and bettors wager on the outcome. The groups cited online betting related to cockfighting at roughly 13 billion USD in 2022 (approximately 17.33 trillion KRW).
They added that U.S. cockfighting farms supply at least 40,000 roosters to the Philippines each year, selling some birds for up to $2,000 apiece (approximately 2.67 million KRW) and generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue.
The groups emphasized that staging animal fights violates South Korea’s Animal Protection Act. The law prohibits injuring animals for gambling, advertising, entertainment, or leisure and bans forcing animals to fight or using tools to inflict pain—offenses punishable by fines up to 20 million KRW (about $15,000) or up to two years in prison.
They stressed that animal welfare is a cross-border issue, like human rights and the environment. Even those not directly participating in animal fights can face legal consequences or public condemnation if they promote or enable such abuses.
The groups urged a worldwide end to cockfighting and called for the swift eradication of this brutal form of animal abuse.
Full text of the statement follows
「Title: We welcome Korean Air’s halt to transporting roosters for ‘cockfighting’ to the Philippines!」
On May 2 (local time), Korean Air announced it would stop transporting roosters on flights from the United States to the Philippines.
The airline suspended shipments after U.S. animal welfare organizations raised concerns that U.S.-bred roosters were being transported for use in the Philippines’ widespread practice of cockfighting.
In the Philippines, cockfights often involve attaching sharp blades to roosters’ legs and betting on the results, creating a large gambling industry. The groups said online betting tied to cockfighting exceeded 13 billion USD in 2022 (approximately 17.33 trillion KRW).
U.S. cockfighting farms reportedly send at least 40,000 roosters to the Philippines each year, selling birds for up to $2,000 (approximately 2.67 million KRW) apiece and earning tens of millions of dollars in revenue.
Staging animal fights constitutes animal abuse under Article 10 of the Animal Protection Act, which prohibits harming animals for gambling, advertising, entertainment, or leisure and bans causing animals to fight or inflicting pain in cruel ways. Violators face fines up to 20 million KRW (about $15,000) or up to two years in prison.
Animal welfare issues do not respect national borders, the groups said. Even without directly engaging in fights or other abuse, those who promote or facilitate such acts can face legal consequences or public condemnation.
We welcome the national carrier Korean Air’s decision, which aligns with international norms and standards. We also call for the prompt global eradication of cockfighting, a brutal and illegal form of animal abuse.
May 3, 2026
– Korea Animal Protection Association, Voice of Animals, Association for the Abolition of Animal Fighting, Korea Vegan Association, Korea Vegetarian Union –
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