South Korea passed a new law on January 9, aiming to end the farming for consumption, slaughtering and selling of dogs for their meat.
In 2023, the country was home to some 1,600 dog meat restaurants and 1,150 dog farms, according to statistics by the government in Seoul.
Owners of establishments serving dishes with dog meats and farmers have been given three years to adapt and find alternative sources of employment and income, as the legislation will come into effect only in 2027.
The South Korean government has pledged to support dog meat farmers, butchers and restaurant owners who will lose their jobs as a result of this legislation. The nature of the help to be provided hasn’t yet been disclosed.
These businesses were also told to submit a plan to phase out their sales of dog meat to their local authorities.
While the butchering and farming of dog meat will be made illegal through this law, its consumption will not be punished.
The practice dates back centuries, and one of the recipes using dog meat, a stew called boshintang, is considered a delicacy among older South Koreans.
However, eating dog meat has increasingly fallen out of favour in recent years. Many members of the younger generations are rejecting it entirely.
A Gallup poll carried out in 2023 suggested that only eight percent of South Koreans had tried dog meat in the previous 12 months. This marked a significant dip in the practice since 2015, when 27 percent of those polled said to have consumed the meat.
The new law could see people found guilty of butchering dogs serving up to three years in prison. Those farming dogs for their meat or selling dog meat could instead be given a maximum two-year sentence.
Animal rights activists in South Korea have been calling for a ban on the practice for years.
While attempts have been made since the 1980s, it was the government led by current South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol that succeeded in banning the practice – also thanks to a changing attitude nationwide towards it.
Both Mr Yoon, elected in 2022, and his wife Kim Keon Hee are keen animal lovers and they own six dogs.
