South Korea’s parliament has passed a law ending the eating and selling of dog meat.
However the legislation will not come into effect for a further three years in order to allow businesses to diversify and compensation levels to be finalised.
Campaigners aiming to end the centuries old practice say most dogs are electrocuted or hanged when slaughtered for meat which, in the form of a stew, is considered a delicacy among some older South Koreans.
However, the majority of the country’s residents do not eat it, and the practice has been steadily declining in popularity for years.
We reached a tipping point where most Korean citizens reject eating dogs and want to see this suffering consigned to the history books, and today our policymakers have acted decisively to make that a reality.
Jung Ah Chae, Executive Director of Humane Society International-Korea (HSI)
Breaking the law would be punishable by up to three years in prison or 30 million won (AED80,000) in fines.
Jung Ah Chae, the Executive Director of Humane Society International-Korea (HSI), said: ‘We reached a tipping point where most Korean citizens reject eating dogs and want to see this suffering consigned to the history books, and today our policymakers have acted decisively to make that a reality.
‘While my heart breaks for all the millions of dogs for whom this change has come too late, I am overjoyed that South Korea can now close this miserable chapter in our history and embrace a dog-friendly future.’
Proposed by the ruling Democratic Party, the bill was passed by an overwhelming 208 votes to zero with two abstentions in South Korea’s single-chamber parliament.
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.
Dog Meat Off The Menu
South Korea had around 1,600 dog meat restaurants and 1,150 farms containing 570,000 dogs who will all be forced to cease trading by the ban when it comes into force in 2027.
‘This ban marks a significant turning point in Korea’s attitude towards animal protection. I hope it will not only eradicate the distressing practice of consuming dogs from our society’s consciousness but also raise awareness about the lives of other factory-farmed animals that endure misery solely for human consumption,’ Lee Sang kyung, Campaign Manager of HIS said.
In a survey 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 93 per cent said they would not do so in the future.
Kitty Block and Jeff Flocken, CEO and President of HSI globally, issued a joint statement following the ruling.
They said: ‘This is a truly momentous day for our campaign to end the horrors of the dog meat industry in South Korea, and one we have been hoping to see for a very long time. Having been to dog meat farms, we know only too well the suffering and deprivation these desperate animals endure in the name of an industry for whom history has now thankfully called time. This ban signals the end of dog meat farming and sales in South Korea, and we stand ready to contribute our expertise until every cage is empty.’
South Korea now joins a growing list of countries and territories across Asia that have banned the dog meat trade including Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, India, Thailand and Singapore, as well as the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and 45 cities, regencies and provinces in Indonesia.
