South Korea has announced it will formally end its bear bile farming industry this week, though about 200 bears are still kept in pens and bred for their gall bladders.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment confirmed on Tuesday that it will ban breeding and possession of bears and extraction of their bile from the start of next year.

The change is in line with a revised animal rights protection law that imposes up to two or five years of prison sentences to violators.

South Korea is one of the few countries that allow farming to extract bile from bears, mostly Asiatic black bears known as moon bears, for traditional medicine or food believed to promote vitality and stamina.

But the popularity of the practice has nosedived in the past two decades in response to questions about its medicinal effects, the introduction of cheaper medical alternatives and public awareness of animal cruelty.

The plan is part of a broader 2022 agreement among officials, farmers and animal rights campaigners to prohibit bear bile farming beginning in 2026.

Animal rights groups are responsible for handling purchases of bears from farmers and the government establishing facilities to hold them.

A total of 21 bears has been purchased and relocated to a government-run sanctuary in the southern Jelloa province this year.

Some bears remain in farms as disputes continue over the cost paid to compensate farmers. (AP Photo: Lee Jin-man, file)

But 199 bears are still raised in 11 farms across the country while disputes continue over the amount of money to be paid to farmers for giving up their bears, according to officials, activists and farmers.

The Environment Ministry said it will place a six-month grace period for existing farmers and punish bile extraction within the law's limits, while also providing a financial incentive to farmers who keep their animals until they are sold and moved.

"Our plan to end bear farming business is an implementation of our country's resolve to improve welfare of wild animals and fulfil our related responsibility," Environment Minister Kim Sungwhan said in a statement.

"We will strive to help bears protected until the last one."

Farmers unhappy with the move

Kim KwangSoo, a farmer who raises 78 bears in the southern city of Dangjin, said other farmers sold their bears at extremely cheap prices because of economic difficulties, though he hasn't sold any of his animals.

"This is a very bad policy," Mr Kim said. "I'll still observe the law because I'd suffer some disadvantages if I don't do so."

Mr Kim, who had about 270 bears in his Dangjin farm in 2014, said he has debts of several hundreds of thousands of dollars due to upkeep costs for his remaining bears.

About 1,000 bears were raised in farms in South Korea in 2014. They were the descendants of bears imported from Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries when bear farming began in South Korea in the early 1980s.

Animal rights groups praised South Korea's government for pressing ahead with the 2022 agreement but urged it to establish bigger protection facilities to accept rescued bears.

The government says its Jeolla province sanctuary can carry up to 49 bears, but activists say the number of bears should not exceed 30. A second government facility was to be established in April but the opening has been delayed until 2027 due to flooding.

"It's really good (for the government) to reflect on bear bile industry and push to end it but it's regrettable that there aren't sufficient measures to protect bears," said Cheon JinKyung, head of Korea Animal Rights Advocates in Seoul.

"There aren't place where these bears can stay."

AP