South Korea’s parliament has voted to ban the production and sale of dog meat, in a decision campaigners hailed as a “historic victory” for animal welfare.
The country’s national assembly voted overwhelmingly to ban the breeding, butchery, distribution and sale of dogs for their meat on Tuesday, after years of pressure at home and abroad.
While the law does not criminalise consumption, the measures will effectively bring an end to eating the animals, a practice some say stretches back centuries.
The ban, which passed with 208 votes in support and two abstentions, will be enforced in 2027 after a three-year grace period. Violators will face up to three years in prison or a maximum fine of 30m won (£17,900). The law includes compensation packages to help businesses move out of the industry, media reports said.
Eating dog meat – which is often served as part of a stew to make it more tender – was once seen as a way to stave off fatigue during hot summers. Consumption has slumped dramatically in recent decades, particularly among younger South Koreans who consider dogs as family pets.
In a survey released this week by the Seoul-based thinktank Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education, more than 94% of respondents said they had not eaten dog meat in the past year, while 93% said they would not eat it in the future.
Despite the sharp decline in consumption, about 1,150 farms continue to breed dogs for meat, while 1,600 restaurants sell dog meat dishes in South Korea, according to the agriculture ministry.
Campaigners have long targeted the industry as cruel, with dogs electrocuted or hanged when slaughtered for their meat. Traders, who in November threatened to unleash 2 million dogs near the presidential office in Seoul to protest against the anticipated ban, say they have made the slaughtering process more humane.
“This is history in the making,” said JungAh Chae, the executive director of Humane Society International/Korea. “I never thought I would see in my lifetime a ban on the cruel dog meat industry in South Korea, but this historic win for animals is testament to the passion and determination of our animal protection movement.
“We reached a tipping point where most Korean citizens reject eating dogs and want to see this suffering consigned to the history books, and today our policymakers have acted decisively to make that a reality. While my heart breaks for all the millions of dogs for whom this change has come too late, I am overjoyed that South Korea can now close this miserable chapter in our history and embrace a dog-friendly future.”
The movement to make selling dog meat illegal has gathered momentum under the president, Yoon Suk Yeol, an animal lover who has adopted several dogs and cats with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, who has also criticised the industry.