People For Earth

On November 8, 2025, the second day of the 10th Anniversary Conference featured sessions reflecting on the past decade of Earth Jurisprudence and exploring the vision it can offer for Korean society and future generations. People for Earth sought to imagine the next ten years of Earth Jurisprudence together, looking beyond anthropocentrism toward a future that embraces non-human beings as integral actors.

[Session 1. Ten Years of Earth Jurisprudence in Korea]

Under the moderation of Dr. Jeongho Choi, Secretary of the Earth Jurisprudence Society of Korea, the first session of Day 2 opened with Hyejin Jung, Director of the Earth Law Center, who reviewed the Society’s ten-year journey by dividing it into its formative, growth, and practical application phases. She highlighted key achievements in expanding Earth Jurisprudence and outlined future challenges.

Attorney Bomi Kim of Sun Foundation presented the development and outcomes of the Society’s Earth Law lecture series, emphasizing the need to further expand legal education, institutionalize related initiatives, and broaden public engagement.

Finally, Secretary Choi examined how Earth Jurisprudence has taken root across environmental activism, legislation, litigation, and research, proposing new tasks focused on strengthening connections between human and more-than-human actors.

[Session 2. (Special) Inter-species Alliance Between Dolphins and Humans]

In the second session, discussions centered on the legislative movement to establish eco-legal personhood for the Jeju Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. Hee-jong Jin, Director of the Jeju Lifelong Education Scholarship Promotion Institute, explained that the concept of eco-legal personhood in Jeju arose from the island’s unique ecology, nature, and the long-standing coexistence between dolphins and haenyeo (women divers). He emphasized that this initiative represents an institutional practice aimed at shifting from a human-centered to an ecological worldview.

Following this, Prof. Tae-hyun Park, President of the Earth Jurisprudence Society of Korea, described eco-legal personhood as a model that grants legal personality and rights-bearing status to nature, supported by a system of ecological guardianship to ensure those rights function in practice. He highlighted that this model offers an innovative legal and institutional platform capable of addressing the limitations of existing environmental law and contributing to more democratic forms of governance.

[Session 3. The Global Context of Earth Jurisprudence]

In the third session, participants examined the global landscape of the Rights of Nature movement. Jina Lim, Head of Research, outlined the current state of international solidarity, ongoing initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, and diverse implementation cases, emphasizing the importance of legal institutionalization and network-building for advancing the Rights of Nature.

Dr. Michelle Maloney, Co-Founder and Director of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA), shared the organization’s work and the development of the Rights of Nature movement in Australia, underscoring the necessity of integrating Indigenous law with Western legal systems.

Finally, Natalia Greene, Global Director of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), presented Ecuador’s constitutional provisions recognizing the Rights of Nature and the movement’s global expansion since then, highlighting that strengthened international networks will be essential for shaping the future of the movement.

[Session 4. Earth Jurisprudence for Entangled Beings Moving Forward Together]

The fourth session brought together a diverse group of activists who explored future directions for Earth Jurisprudence through the lens of the Rights of Nature—from local community practices to climate, environmental, and animal rights movements. Legal artist and Attorney Young-joon Kim highlighted that law stands on the dual pillars of social consensus and binding force, emphasizing that new legal propositions such as the Rights of Nature can be realized through autonomous local legislation grounded in community connectedness and creativity.

Climate activist Eunbin Kang from Youth Climate Emergency Action shared experiences from direct actions opposing coal power plants and four years of climate civil disobedience trials, explaining how legal struggles became not merely encounters with punishment but moments that fostered social solidarity and supported a shift toward ecological subjectivity.

Next, activist Il-soo Hwang of Green Korea United introduced citizen-driven environmental initiatives—including lawsuits filed on behalf of natural entities, campaigns for the “Right to Movement” of wildlife, creative public performances, and documentary production—while emphasizing the importance of communication with local stakeholders and the accumulation of scientific data in advancing ecological legal personhood efforts.

Finally, Attorney Dohee Kim, Director of the Liberation Politics Research Institute at Animal Liberation Wave, presented a constitutional imagination for Earth Jurisprudence from a multispecies community perspective. Drawing on limitations within animal rights movements and concrete case examples, she underscored the need for legal and institutional reforms such as ecological litigation, legal guardianship systems for non-human beings, and Earth Community Committees.

Following the presentations, the open discussion session explored a wide range of themes, including the meaning of Earth Jurisprudence, community-based solidarity, the role of education, and the motivations and challenges faced in environmental activism. Participants freely exchanged their experiences, concerns, and perspectives on Earth Jurisprudence, reaffirming the importance of connection and dialogue.

Finally, Chairperson Prof. Wang-Bae Kim closed the two-day gathering with a warm message, expressing his hope for “a world where Earth Jurisprudence is no longer needed.”