Countries react as South Korea plans 'scientific' whaling

Several countries and environmentalists have criticised South Korea's announcement that it wants to start hunting whales under rules permitting whaling for scientific research.

The announcement came at a meeting in Panama of the International Whaling Commission.

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard and New Zealand's Foreign Minister Murray McCully were among the countries to give their reaction.

Footage of whaling is courtesy of Greenpeace