The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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On Tuesday, South Korea’s parliament is anticipated to vote on a proposal to outlaw the consumption and trade of dog meat, a customary practice that activists have criticized as an international disgrace for the country.
Long ingrained in South Korean cuisine, dog meat consumption, once estimated to involve up to a million dogs annually, has notably diminished recently as more Koreans embrace pet ownership.
Among younger, urban South Koreans, eating dog meat has become taboo, and mounting pressure from animal rights activists has prompted calls for the government to criminalize the practice. President Yoon Suk Yeol, an avowed animal lover, and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, a vocal critic of dog meat consumption, have increased official support for the ban.
If the proposed bill is ratified, the breeding, selling, and slaughtering of dogs for meat could result in a punishment of up to three years in prison or fines amounting to 30 million won ($23,000). The legislation is scheduled to take effect after a three-year grace period.
According to a recent survey by the Seoul-based think tank Animal Welfare Awareness, Research, and Education, nine out of 10 South Koreans expressed a refusal to consume dog meat in the future. Prior attempts to prohibit dog meat faced staunch opposition from farmers involved in breeding dogs for consumption. The bill aims to provide compensation to facilitate the transition of businesses out of the dog meat trade.
Government figures indicate that around 1,100 dog farms breed hundreds of thousands of dogs annually, serving the meat in restaurants across the country. Typically consumed as a summertime delicacy, dog meat is believed to boost energy to cope with the heat.
South Korea’s existing animal protection law primarily focuses on preventing the cruel slaughter of dogs and cats but does not explicitly forbid consumption. Despite this, authorities have utilized the law and hygiene regulations to crackdown on dog farms and restaurants, particularly in the lead-up to international events like the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
