The bill will provide compensation so companies can exit the trade, although dog meat consumption is now rare.
South Korea’s parliament passed a bill to ban the dog meat trade.
The bill, passed Tuesday, aims to end a centuries-old practice. In recent years, Koreans have shunned meat as concerns about animal rights have grown.
The bill passed in a nearly unanimous vote. In total, there were 208 votes in favor and only two abstentions in the vote in the unicameral parliament, which came after the bipartisan agriculture committee approved it on Monday.
The legislation, which will ban the breeding, sale and slaughter of dogs for meat starting in 2027, will take effect once it is endorsed by the Cabinet Council and signed by President Yoon Suk-yeol, moves that are considered formalities.
After the three-year grace period, breeding and slaughtering dogs to produce meat for human consumption will be punishable by up to three years in prison or up to 30 million won ($22,800) in fines. The bill does not provide penalties for the consumption of dog meat.
Fall in consumption
The bill reflects a sharp decline in consumption amid changing trends in South Korea, although industry representatives have tried for years to block a ban.
Animal welfare activists say dogs are electrocuted or hanged when they are slaughtered, although breeders and dealers say slaughter has become more humane in recent years.
“We have reached a crucial point in saving millions of dogs from this cruel industry,” said Borami Seo of Humane Society International Korea, an animal protection group.
Support for the ban has flourished under President Yoon, who has adopted six dogs and eight cats, and has publicly expressed his opposition to the consumption of dog meat. First lady Kim Keon-hee has also been an outspoken critic.
While dog meat was once seen as a way to improve stamina in the humid Korean summer, it has become increasingly rare and is now only eaten by older people.
In a survey released Monday by Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education (AWARE), a Seoul-based think tank, 94 percent of respondents said they had not eaten dog meat in the past year and 93 percent percent said they do not plan to do so in the next year. future.
Still, previous attempts to pass such legislation failed due to industry protests.
The Korean Edible Dog Association, a coalition of breeders and sellers, said the ban will affect 3,500 farms raising 1.5 million dogs, as well as 3,000 restaurants.
The bill therefore seeks to provide compensation so that companies can exit the trade.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in April 2022, around 1,100 farms were raising 570,000 dogs to be served in around 1,600 restaurants.
