Why did South Korea ban eating dogs
South Korea passes bill to ban eating dog meat, ending controversial practice as consumer habits change
Seoul, South KoreaCNN
South Koreas parliament passed a bill Tuesday banning the breeding and slaughter of dogs for consumption, ending the traditional yet controversial practice of eating dog meat after years of nationwide debate.
The bill received rare bipartisan support across South Koreas divided political landscape, highlighting how attitudes toward eating dog have transformed over the past few decades during the countrys rapid industrialization.
The law willban the distribution and sale of food products made or processed with dog ingredients, according to the corresponding committee of the National Assembly.
However, customers who consume dog meat or related products will not be subject to punishment meaning the law would largely target those working in the industry such as dog farmers or sellers.
Under the bill, anybody slaughtering a dog for food can be punished by up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million Korean won (about $23,000). Anyone who breeds dogs for eating, or who knowingly acquires, transports, stores or sells food made from dogs, also faces a lower fine and prison time.
Farm owners, dog meat restaurants and other workers in the dog trade will have a three-year grace period to close or change their business, according to the committee. Local governments will be required to support those business owners to stably transition to other businesses.
The bill now heads to President Yoon Suk Yeol for final approval. It was proposed by both Yoons ruling party and the main opposition party, and has received vocal support from First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who owns multiple dogs and visited an animal protection organization during a presidential state visit to Netherlands in December.
Like parts of Vietnam and southern China, South Korea has a history of consuming dog meat. It was traditionally viewed in South Korea asa food that could help people beat the heat during the summer, and was also a cheap and readily available source of protein at a time when poverty rates were far higher.
There are about 1,100 dog farms operating for food purposes in South Korea, and abouthalf a milliondogs being raised on these farms, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
But the practice has also come under criticism in recent decades, with animal rights activistsat the forefront; international rights groups such as Humane Society International (HSI) have worked to rescue dogs from South Korean farms and relocate them overseas.
The number of South Koreans eating dog meat has also declined dramatically as pet ownership became more common. Consumers of dog meat now skew older, while younger, more urban South Koreans tend to veer away, mirroring similar trends in other parts of Asia.
In a 2022 survey by Gallup Korea, 64% of respondents were against eating dog meat a notable increase from a similar survey in 2015. The number of respondents who had eaten dog meat in the past year had also fallen, from 27% in 2015, to just 8% in 2022.
Between 2005 and 2014, the number of restaurants serving dog in the capital Seoul fell by 40% due to the declining demand, official statistics showed.
Our perception ofdog meatconsumption and animals in general has been changing over the last decades, said Lee Sang-kyung, campaign manager of the dog meat ban at HSI Korea.
Itwas once popular when our food resources (were) scarce, such as during the Korean War, but as the economy develops and peoples perception towards animals and our food consumption, food choices, and things change, then I think its the right time to move with the times.
He added that the bills passing on Monday is partly due to increasedpolitical will, which is growing with the First Ladys interest.
But the bill has also met fierce resistance from dog farmers and business owners who say it will devastate their livelihood and traditions.
In November, dozens of dog farmers and breeders gathered outside the presidential office in Seoul to protest the bill with many bringing their farmed dogs in cages that they intended to release at the scene, according to Reuters. Scuffles broke out between the farmers and police at the scene, with some protesters detained.
One such dog farmer, Lee Kyeong-sig, told Reuters last November: If I have to close down, with the financial condition Im in, there really is no answer to what I can do Ive been in this for 12 years and it is so sudden.
In a November news release, the Korean Dog Meat Association accused the government of threatening to trample the industry, and of proposing the bill without a single discussion or communication with dog meat consumers or workers.
No one has the right to rob 10 million (dog meat consumers) of their right to food and the right to survival of 1 million livestock dog farmers and workers, it said in the news release.
However, Lee, the HSI manager, was optimistic that the bills grace period and relief measures would help keep dog farmers afloat.
Based on our experience talking to industry workers at HSI,weknew that the majority of dog meat farmers and slaughterers, they want to leave the industry but they dont know how to leave the industry, he said.
But now with the bill, having a compensation package (and) financial support from the government, I think its the right time to leave the industry for them as well.
South Korean president suggests ban on eating dog meat
The South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, has raised banning the eating of dogs in the country, his office said, a traditional practice that is becoming an international embarrassment.
The meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine with about 1 million dogs believed to be eaten annually, but consumption has declined as more people embrace the animals as companions rather than livestock.
The practice is something of a taboo among younger generations and pressure from animal rights activists has been mounting.
Hasnt the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption? Moon asked the prime minister, Kim Boo-kyum, during a weekly meeting on Monday, according to the presidential spokesperson.
South Koreas pet industry is on the rise, with a growing number of people living with dogs at home the president among them. Moon is a known dog lover and has several canines at the presidential compound, including one he rescued after taking office.
Adopting Tory was one of Moons pledges during his presidential campaign and the pooch became the first rescue dog to make its way into the Blue House.
Moon made the remarks as he was briefed on a plan to improve the care system for abandoned pets, his spokeswoman said.
South Koreas animal protection law is intended mainly to prevent the cruel slaughter of dogs and cats but does not ban consumption itself.
Nonetheless, authorities have invoked the law and other hygiene regulations to crack down on dog farms and restaurants ahead of international events such as the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
South Korea passes bill to ban eating dog meat, ending controversial practice as consumer habits change
Seoul, South KoreaCNN
South Koreas parliament passed a bill Tuesday banning the breeding and slaughter of dogs for consumption, ending the traditional yet controversial practice of eating dog meat after years of nationwide debate.
The bill received rare bipartisan support across South Koreas divided political landscape, highlighting how attitudes toward eating dog have transformed over the past few decades during the countrys rapid industrialization.
The law willban the distribution and sale of food products made or processed with dog ingredients, according to the corresponding committee of the National Assembly.
However, customers who consume dog meat or related products will not be subject to punishment meaning the law would largely target those working in the industry such as dog farmers or sellers.
Under the bill, anybody slaughtering a dog for food can be punished by up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million Korean won (about $23,000). Anyone who breeds dogs for eating, or who knowingly acquires, transports, stores or sells food made from dogs, also faces a lower fine and prison time.
Farm owners, dog meat restaurants and other workers in the dog trade will have a three-year grace period to close or change their business, according to the committee. Local governments will be required to support those business owners to stably transition to other businesses.
The bill now heads to President Yoon Suk Yeol for final approval. It was proposed by both Yoons ruling party and the main opposition party, and has received vocal support from First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who owns multiple dogs and visited an animal protection organization during a presidential state visit to Netherlands in December.
Like parts of Vietnam and southern China, South Korea has a history of consuming dog meat. It was traditionally viewed in South Korea asa food that could help people beat the heat during the summer, and was also a cheap and readily available source of protein at a time when poverty rates were far higher.
There are about 1,100 dog farms operating for food purposes in South Korea, and abouthalf a milliondogs being raised on these farms, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
But the practice has also come under criticism in recent decades, with animal rights activistsat the forefront; international rights groups such as Humane Society International (HSI) have worked to rescue dogs from South Korean farms and relocate them overseas.
The number of South Koreans eating dog meat has also declined dramatically as pet ownership became more common. Consumers of dog meat now skew older, while younger, more urban South Koreans tend to veer away, mirroring similar trends in other parts of Asia.
In a 2022 survey by Gallup Korea, 64% of respondents were against eating dog meat a notable increase from a similar survey in 2015. The number of respondents who had eaten dog meat in the past year had also fallen, from 27% in 2015, to just 8% in 2022.
Between 2005 and 2014, the number of restaurants serving dog in the capital Seoul fell by 40% due to the declining demand, official statistics showed.
Our perception ofdog meatconsumption and animals in general has been changing over the last decades, said Lee Sang-kyung, campaign manager of the dog meat ban at HSI Korea.
Itwas once popular when our food resources (were) scarce, such as during the Korean War, but as the economy develops and peoples perception towards animals and our food consumption, food choices, and things change, then I think its the right time to move with the times.
He added that the bills passing on Monday is partly due to increasedpolitical will, which is growing with the First Ladys interest.
But the bill has also met fierce resistance from dog farmers and business owners who say it will devastate their livelihood and traditions.
In November, dozens of dog farmers and breeders gathered outside the presidential office in Seoul to protest the bill with many bringing their farmed dogs in cages that they intended to release at the scene, according to Reuters. Scuffles broke out between the farmers and police at the scene, with some protesters detained.
One such dog farmer, Lee Kyeong-sig, told Reuters last November: If I have to close down, with the financial condition Im in, there really is no answer to what I can do Ive been in this for 12 years and it is so sudden.
In a November news release, the Korean Dog Meat Association accused the government of threatening to trample the industry, and of proposing the bill without a single discussion or communication with dog meat consumers or workers.
No one has the right to rob 10 million (dog meat consumers) of their right to food and the right to survival of 1 million livestock dog farmers and workers, it said in the news release.
However, Lee, the HSI manager, was optimistic that the bills grace period and relief measures would help keep dog farmers afloat.
Based on our experience talking to industry workers at HSI,weknew that the majority of dog meat farmers and slaughterers, they want to leave the industry but they dont know how to leave the industry, he said.
But now with the bill, having a compensation package (and) financial support from the government, I think its the right time to leave the industry for them as well.
