Innovative Research Award
Kyunghyun Lee
Kyungpook National University, South Korea
Kyunghyun Lee is affiliated with Kyungpook National University and works within Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine. The documented research record includes a 2026 study examining companion-animal abuse through criminal-court decisions in South Korea, connecting veterinary welfare considerations with legal and forensic perspectives. The work provides a focused contribution to understanding animal abuse cases through judicial records and their implications for professional veterinary practice.
Abstract
Kyunghyun Lee’s documented research addresses companion-animal abuse in South Korea from an interdisciplinary veterinary and legal perspective. The reported study analyzes criminal-court decisions covering 2003–2025 and considers their relevance to animal welfare and veterinary practice. Published in Animals in August 2026, the article provides an evidence-oriented examination of judicial decisions and their implications for understanding abuse cases. [1]
Keywords
Companion-animal abuse; animal welfare; veterinary medicine; criminal-court decisions; South Korea; forensic veterinary research; animal protection.
Introduction
Research into animal abuse increasingly intersects with veterinary medicine, welfare policy, legal evidence, and forensic investigation. Analysis of court decisions can provide a structured source for identifying how abuse is documented and interpreted within legal systems. Lee’s reported study applies this perspective to companion-animal abuse in South Korea, examining judicial decisions over an extended period and considering their implications for veterinary and welfare practice. [1]
Research Profile
The available publication record indicates a research focus at the intersection of veterinary science, animal welfare, and forensic or legal analysis. The study’s use of criminal-court decisions provides a documentary basis for examining companion-animal abuse beyond individual clinical observations. This approach places veterinary knowledge within a broader framework involving legal decisions, welfare concerns, and societal responses to animal harm.
Research Contributions
- Examines companion-animal abuse through criminal-court decisions spanning 2003–2025.
- Connects veterinary welfare considerations with judicial and forensic perspectives.
- Provides a South Korean context for interdisciplinary animal-abuse research.
Publications
Lee, Kyunghyun. “Companion-Animal Abuse in South Korea: Welfare and Veterinary Implications from Criminal-Court Decisions (2003–2025).” Animals, 16(15), 2354, August 2026. [2]
Research Impact
The publication contributes to an emerging interdisciplinary research space in which veterinary knowledge can inform the interpretation of animal-abuse cases. Its examination of court decisions offers a documented basis for considering welfare and veterinary implications within South Korean legal contexts. The available record currently identifies one documented publication; citation and h-index information were not provided and are therefore not estimated.
Award Suitability
The documented research is relevant to an Innovative Research Award because it combines veterinary science with analysis of criminal-court decisions and animal-welfare implications. The interdisciplinary design provides a research pathway for examining animal abuse through both scientific and legal evidence. Its defined geographic and temporal scope also supports a focused scholarly contribution rather than a generalized treatment of animal welfare.
Conclusion
Kyunghyun Lee’s documented work presents a focused interdisciplinary contribution involving veterinary medicine, animal welfare, and judicial analysis. The 2026 Animals publication provides the principal evidence of this research activity and establishes a relevant foundation for recognition under an innovative research category. [2]
External Links
References
- Lee, Kyunghyun. (2026). Companion-Animal Abuse in South Korea: Welfare and Veterinary Implications from Criminal-Court Decisions (2003–2025). Animals, 16(15), 2354.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16152354
- MDPI. (2026). Companion-Animal Abuse in South Korea: Welfare and Veterinary Implications from Criminal-Court Decisions (2003–2025). Animals, 16(15), 2354.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/16/15/2354
- ORCID. (n.d.). Kyunghyun Lee — ORCID record.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1432-6015
- MDPI. (n.d.). Animals — International Journal of Animal Science. MDPI.
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals
