New law
“Historic step for animals”: South Korea wants to stop eating dog meat
Animal rights activists had campaigned for decades to stop dogs from being slaughtered for consumption in South Korea
© Ahn Young-joon / AP / DPA
Eating dog meat has a long tradition in South Korea – now it seems to be coming to an end. Parliament unanimously passed a new law banning the breeding and slaughter of dogs for mere consumption.
The law aims to end a practice that has become less and less popular in South Korea in recent years. However, many slaughter dog breeders argued that dog meat consumption was part of a long Korean tradition. In Korea, dog is served primarily as grilled meat or soup.
Dog meat remains legal in South Korea
The content of the new law itself did not mention that the consumption of dog meat was explicitly prohibited. However, if dogs are slaughtered for food, they are reportedly facing a prison sentence of up to three years or a high fine. Breeding and selling can also be punished with a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine.
The current regulation provides for a three-year transition period until the law can be enforced. To come into force, it still needs to be signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol. His consent is considered a formality.
Up to a million dogs slaughtered every year
The head of the organization Humane Society International, Chae Jung An, spoke of a historic step. This “historic victory for animals is a testament to the passion and determination of our animal rights movement.” According to her group, up to a million dogs raised on special farms are killed for food in South Korea every year. According to official statistics, there are about 1150 such farms.
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The sale of dog meat and therefore its consumption has been in a “legal gray area” for 46 years, wrote the newspaper “The Korea Times”. Dogs were removed from the list of agricultural animals as early as 1978 by a change in the Food Act.
Debate about dog meat has been going on for years
The debate about dog meat consumption has been going on for many years. Whenever South Korea hosted a major international event such as the 2002 World Cup, the issue heated up the minds of supporters and opponents at home and abroad. The consumption of dog meat is particularly widespread in Asia.
In the background of the current legislative initiative, observers also see the strong increase in private households with pets and the growing interest in animal rights. The Korean Dog Meat Association recently held several protest rallies. Members called for a halt to the law because they said it violated personal rights – including the right to choose what to eat. The law provides support measures for those working in the dog meat industry to make the transition to new business sectors.