History in South Korea: The National Assembly in Seoul approved a new law that completely bans the trade in dog meat and its slaughter for food. The practice of eating dog meat was very common in Korea in the past, but in recent decades has declined significantly, especially among young people.
Under the new law, a person who slaughters a dog faces a penalty of up to three years in prison. In addition, the trade in dog meat, including serving it in restaurants, will be completely banned. Breeding dogs for food, an ancient tradition in the country, will also be banned under the new law.
BREAKING NEWS:
South Korea has passed a new law to ban the centuries old practice of slaughtering dogs and selling dog meat. pic.twitter.com/Oj5lUWcNPi
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 9, 2024
Despite the achievement for animal rights activists in the country, the law will only go into effect in three years, in order to give owners of restaurants serving dog meat and dog farmers a chance to find new sources of livelihood. The government announced that it would financially support farmers and butchers who lose their jobs until they reintegrate into the labor market. According to government figures in Seoul, South Korea has 1,600 restaurants serving dog meat and 1,150 dog farms for food.
Dog meat is known in Korea as "bushintang" and is considered a valuable delicacy, especially by the country's elderly population. According to a Gallup poll published this year, only 8 percent of the Korean public has eaten dog meat in the past six months. In a similar survey in 2015, 27 percent of the public responded that they had eaten dog meat. In a survey published this year, only one-fifth of the population supported the practice of eating dog meat.
Protesters in South Korea against eating dog meat, Photo: AFP
Jung Ah-chae, director of the Korea Humane Society, said she was surprised to see dog meat stopped in her lifetime. "While my heart breaks for millions of dogs for whom change came too late, I am delighted that South Korea will be able to close this unfortunate chapter of its history and step towards a dog-friendly future."
Dog farmers in the country protested the decision, arguing that the practice should be allowed to disappear "naturally" and thus respect the local culture and traditions. Joe Yeong-bong, a farmer who raises dogs for food, told BBC News: "Ten years from now, our whole industry would be gone. We are in our sixties or seventies now and we have no choice but to close and lose our source of livelihood. The new law violates people's rights to eat whatever they want."
Dog farmers protest in Seoul, Photo: AFP
South Korea and China aren't the only countries where dogs eat. Also on the list are North Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and East Timor. In some African countries, such as Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso (partial list), dogs also come to the plate. However, attention is drawn more to South Korea because of its belonging to the club of the most advanced countries in the world.
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