South Korean lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bill banning the breeding, slaughter and sale of dogs for meat. The move would end a centuries-old practice that activists have denounced as a national disgrace.
Activists say dog meat has long been used in Korean cuisine, and at one time up to 1 million dogs a year were killed for the trade. quoted By AFP news agency.
However, consumption has fallen sharply in recent years as Koreans embrace pet ownership in large numbers and prefer to love their four-legged friends rather than eat them.
Official support for the ban is growing under President Yoon Seok-yeol, a self-confessed animal lover who has adopted several stray dogs and cats with First Lady Kim Kun-hee, and who has also eaten dog meat, AFP reported. He is a vocal critic of consumption.
This bill was proposed by both the ruling and opposition parties and was passed unanimously with a vote of 208 to 0.
Kim Jong-Kil at his dog meat farm in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Kim says he is proud of the dog meat farm that has supported his family for 27 years, but he is angry at the growing efforts by politicians and activists. Outlaw the business. (AP Photo/Ahn Young Jun)
The law prohibits the breeding and slaughter of dogs for human consumption, as well as the distribution and sale of dog meat. Those found guilty of doing so could be sent to prison.
Dog slaughterers can be sentenced to up to three years in prison, while those who raise dogs for meat or sell dog meat can be sentenced to up to two years in prison. be.
However, the BBC reported that consuming dog meat itself is not illegal. Note.
It will take effect after a three-year grace period after receiving final approval from Yun.
Tae Yong-ho, a member of the ruling People's Power Party who proposed the bill, said, “There is no longer any valid reason for us to be criticized as a 'dog-eating country.'''
Animal rights activists hold placards during a rally to welcome a bill banning the dog meat trade at the National Assembly in Seoul, January 9, 2024. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
“The ruling and opposition parties, and the government, must now take the initiative to protect animal rights,” he said in a statement.
Activists also welcomed the bill, saying “history is being made” by formally declaring an end to dog meat consumption, which remains widely practiced in other countries such as China, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Communist China's gruesome Yulin dog meat festival continues unabated. https://t.co/LwRLvc5NgE
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 21, 2020
“We have reached a tipping point where most Koreans refuse to eat dogs and want this suffering to go down in the history books,” said Executive Director of Humane Society International/Korea JungAh Chae said in a statement.
“Today, our nation's policymakers took decisive action to make that a reality,” she said.
“While my heart breaks for the millions of dogs for whom this change came too late, I am grateful that South Korea has been able to close this tragic chapter in its history and embrace a dog-friendly future. I am very happy.”
According to government statistics seen by the BBC, there were approximately 1,600 dog meat restaurants and 1,150 dog farms in South Korea as of 2023.
