South Korea's parliament on Tuesday passed a bill banning the consumption and sale of dog meat, a move that would put an end to a controversial centuries-old practice amid growing support for animal welfare.
In the humid Korean summer, eating dog meat was once seen as a way to improve stamina. But the practice has become rare — mostly confined to a few older people and specific restaurants — as more South Koreans see dogs as family pets and there is growing criticism of the way dogs are slaughtered.
Activists say most dogs are electrocuted or hanged when slaughtered, although breeders and traders believe progress has been made in making slaughter more humane.
Support for the ban has increased under Yoon Suk Yeol, an animal lover who owns six dogs and eight cats with first lady Kim Keon Hee, who is also an outspoken critic of dog meat consumption.
Pet ownership has also climbed over the years. **Data shows that in 2022, one in four South Korean households owned a pet dog, up from 16% in 2010.
The bill was introduced by the ruling party and received rare bipartisan support, passing in a one-chamber parliament with an overwhelming 208 votes and two abstentions.
The legislation, which states that its purpose is "consumption of dogs", will come into force after a three-year grace period. Raising and slaughtering dogs to produce meat for human consumption is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of 30 million won ($22,800). The Act does not provide for any penalties for the consumption of dog meat per se.
This is history that is being made," said Chae Jung-ah, executive director of Humane Society International Korea, an animal protection group. "We have reached a tipping point where the majority of South Korean citizens refuse to eat dogs and want to see this suffering go down in history.
In a survey released Monday by the Seoul think tank Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education, more than 94 percent of respondents said they had not eaten dog meat in the past year, and about 93 percent said they would not eat dog meat in the future.
Other polls show that support for the ban is around 56 percent.
Previous efforts to ban the sale of dog meat have failed in the face of the industry**, and the bill seeks to provide compensation so that businesses can exit the industry.
Son Won-Hak of the Korean Association of Edible Dogs said the group planned to take the matter to the country's Constitutional Court to challenge the legality of the law, without elaborating.
But before the bill was passed, its members filed claims for compensation if it became law. They are seeking compensation of at least 2 million won ($1,520) per dog to cover the losses over the next five years, as well as the cost of the facility that will be shut down.
The agriculture ministry said it would consult with relevant businesses to ensure they continue to operate stably and provide "maximum support within reason".
The ministry estimates that as of April 2022, about 1,100 farms are breeding 570,000 dogs for about 1,600 restaurants**.
The ban will affect 3,500 farms, 1.5 million dogs and 3,000 restaurants, the farmers' association said.
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