South Korea’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday to end the eating and selling of dog meat, a move that would outlaw the controversial centuries-old practice amid growing support for animal welfare.
Eating dog meat was once seen as a way to improve stamina in the humid Korean summer. But it has become a rarity — now eaten mostly by some older people —as more Koreans consider dogs as family pets and as criticism of how the dogs are slaughtered has grown.
Activists say most dogs are electrocuted or hanged when slaughtered for meat, though breeders and traders argue there has been progress in making the slaughtering more humane.
Support for the ban has grown under President Yoon Suk Yeol, an animal lover who has adopted six dogs and eight cats with first lady Kim Keon Hee, also a vocal critic of dog meat consumption. Proposed by the ruling party, the bill was passed by an overwhelming 208 votes with two abstentions in the single-chamber parliament after its bipartisan agriculture committee approved it on Monday.
The legislation will take effect after a three-year grace period. Breaking the law would be punishable by up to three years in prison or 30 million won ($22,800) in fines.
“The bill would see an end to the breeding and killing of dogs for human consumption,” said Borami Seo of Humane Society International Korea, an animal protection group. “We have reached a pivotal point to spare millions of dogs from this cruel industry.”
In a survey released on Monday by Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education, a Seoul-based think tank, more than 94 per cent of respondents said they had not eaten dog meat for the past year and about 93pc said they would not do so in the future.
Previous efforts to prohibit dog meat have failed in the face of industry protests, and the bill seeks to provide compensation so that businesses can move out of the trade.
In November, a group of about 200 breeders of dogs for consumption held a rally near the presidential office, demanding the bill be scrapped.
The agriculture ministry has estimated that as of April 2022 that some 1,100 farms were breeding 570,000 dogs to be served at around 1,600 restaurants.
The Korean Association of Edible Dogs, a coalition of breeders and sellers, said the ban will affect 3,500 farms raising 1.5 million dogs as well as 3,000 restaurants. rewrite artcle a short brief
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South Korea’s parliament passed a bill on Tuesday to prohibit the eating and selling of dog meat, marking a significant shift away from the centuries-old practice. The move reflects the changing attitudes toward animal welfare, with more Koreans viewing dogs as family pets rather than a source of food.
The practice of consuming dog meat, once believed to boost stamina in the summer, has dwindled, primarily embraced by older individuals.
Most dogs are reportedly electrocuted or hanged during slaughter for meat, leading to increased criticism and a call for more humane practices.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, known for his love of animals, including adopting six dogs and eight cats with the first lady Kim Keon Hee, has played a key role in garnering support for the ban. Proposed by the ruling party, the bill received overwhelming approval in the single-chamber parliament, with 208 votes in favor and two abstentions.
The legislation, set to take effect after a three-year grace period, imposes penalties of up to three years in prison or fines of 30 million won ($22,800) for violations. Activists, including Borami Seo of Humane Society International Korea, see this as a pivotal moment to end the breeding and killing of dogs for human consumption, sparing millions of dogs from the cruel industry.
A recent survey indicates a shift in public sentiment, with over 94% of respondents reporting they haven’t consumed dog meat in the past year, and approximately 93% expressing their intent not to do so in the future. Past attempts to ban dog meat faced industry protests, but the new bill aims to provide compensation to businesses transitioning away from the trade.
The agriculture ministry estimates that around 1,100 farms were breeding 570,000 dogs for consumption as of April 2022, serving approximately 1,600 restaurants. The Korean Association of Edible Dogs, representing breeders and sellers, argues that the ban will impact 3,500 farms and 1.5 million dogs, along with 3,000 restaurants.
