Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo, floor leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea pledged on Monday to revise the civil law to define animals as "living creatures," not "property."

Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly in Seoul, Rep. Lee Kai-ho, chief of the party's policy committee, announced a package of pledges to strengthen animal rights ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for April 10.

That includes changing the legal definition of animals and prohibiting the practice of operating a factory-like breeding facility where animals are administered drugs to induce mating and reproduction for commercial purposes.

"The Democratic Party believes a society where animal rights are protected well is also good for human rights," Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo, its floor leader, said at a media conference. "Animal rights and human rights cannot be considered separately."

Under the law, more state-run health centers for pets, mostly dogs and cats, as well as more shelters for abandoned animals, will be set up across the country. If passed, it will also expand support for alternatives to animal testing, such as sophisticated tests using human cells and tissues.

"There is a limit to what animal rights groups can do. There should be a legal system in place to prevent the abuse of animals," Jeon Jin-kyung, director of Korea Animal Rights Advocates, said. "The roots of all the problems are the factory-like facilities for breeding. What comes next is the inhumane treatment of animals born in those facilities."

The election pledge comes after a bipartisan move early last month to pass a bill to ban the eating and selling of dog meat, a move that will end the controversial centuries-old practice by January 2027 amid growing support for animal welfare.