“Puma leather for sale” is openly advertised, revealing enforcement gaps

[Anchor]

Processed products made from the skins or horns of internationally endangered species are being openly listed on second-hand trading sites.

Products without import permits are all illegal, but environmental authorities have stated that enforcement is difficult.

Reporter Lee Se-heum has the story.

[Report]

Puma leather products have appeared in a second-hand trading site.

They are priced at millions of Korean won, claiming to be real leather.

The reporters attempted to make a transaction.

When the folded product was unfolded, a puma leather larger than a person was revealed.

[Seller: "This is a really large size among puma leathers. (How many meters did you say?) About 2.3m."]

The puma leather had its head and claws attacehd, and the seller said it was brought in from abroad.

[Ryu Young-nam/National Institute of Biological Resources, Biodiversity Education Division: "From the overall appearance of the leather, it seems to have been made from one puma, and from the video, it seems almost certain that it is made from puma leather."]

We asked the seller if they had an import permit.

[Seller: "That's not necessary. It's not endangered like tigers or anything..."]

Contrary to the seller's explanation, pumas are classified as an internationally 'Near Threatened' species.

Without an import permit, both import and trade are illegal.

Recently, on second-hand trading sites, it is easy to find listings for processed products from endangered animals such as pumas, zebras, and brown bears.

In most cases, the presence or absence of an import permit is not disclosed.

[Kim Joo-young/Member of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee: "The lack of control over transactions between individuals regarding endangered species seems to be a problem in light of the purpose of the legislation. I believe separate regulations are necessary."]

Environmental authorities state that they cannot individually verify whether products traded between individuals have import permits, making enforcement practically difficult.

This is KBS News, Lee Se-heum.