South Korea may legislate that animals are "beings" and therefore deserve "protection and enhanced welfare."

In the US, I would respond by suggesting that we give human beings a right to protection and enhanced welfare, first. But maybe South Korea has already done that. If so, that is admirable. However, this law is problematical.

The article doesn't say which kinds of "animals" the law covers. Dogs, apparently, are included. Does it cover mice? Cockoaches? Mosquitoes? Ticks?

If you see a cat about to eat a mouse, what protection is the mouse entitled to? If you find a mosquito trapped in a spider web, what protection is the mosquito entitled to? And how to prevent the spider from starving?

Abandonment of pets is a serious problem, not only for the pet, but often for ecosystems too. It is not good at all to release pets into the wild. However, the enforcement of such a law would be problematical.