South Korea has passed a law banning the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for human consumption. Dog meat has a long tradition in the country, but pressure from animal rights activists has recently increased.
The sale of dog meat for human consumption will now be banned in South Korea. The parliament in Seoul approved a special law that would ban the breeding, slaughter and distribution of dogs for food under penalty of punishment. There is a three-year transition period before the law takes effect.
Violating the law is punishable by up to three years in prison or a 30 million won (around 20,800 euros) fine. The dog meat processing industry has announced resistance. The law “encroaches on the freedom to practice one’s profession,” said farmers’ association chairman Son Won Hak.
Dog meat is a tradition
Eating dog meat has a long tradition in the Asian country. In recent years, however, consumption has decreased more and more. The country’s young and urban population in particular refrains from eating animals, and the pressure on the government from animal rights activists continued to increase.
The activists primarily criticized the torturous conditions and killing methods. Most dogs are killed at slaughter by electrocution or hanging. Breeders and traders argued that there had been progress towards less painful slaughter.
It is estimated that at times up to a million dogs per year were killed for the trade. According to government figures, there are around 1,100 dog farms where animals are bred and then offered as delicacies in restaurants across the country.
South Korea’s president is an animal lover
President Yoon Suk Yeol, known as an animal lover, supports the ban. Together with First Lady Kim Keon Hee, he has adopted numerous stray dogs and cats.
Animal rights activists welcome the new law: “I am overjoyed that South Korea is now closing this sad chapter in its history and ushering in a dog-friendly future,” said the Korean managing director of the organization Humane Society International, Jungah Chae.