South Korean President Considers Banning Dog Meat Consumption

South Korea is one of the various nations where dog meat is consumed. The country has faced international criticism because of this practice, which includes killing the animals through bludgeoning, hanging, and electrocution. “We actively welcome President Moon Jae-in’s comments instructing a review of the dog meat consumption ban and hope there would be substantial progress on that,” animal rights organizations said in a joint statement.

The public has turned away from dog meat, with consumption dropping sharply over the past several years. Meanwhile, there has been a surge in dog and cat ownership, especially among younger Koreans who welcome the animals into their homes and see them as family members. Restaurants that serve it are a dwindling business here as younger people find dog meat a less appetizing dining option.

Even though a public survey in 2018 indicated about 80% of South Koreans had not eaten dog meat in the previous year, an estimated about 1 million dogs are still killed each year for food. As dog meat is neither illegal nor explicitly banned in the country, there are no repercussions behind these actions. Currently, South Korean animal protection laws are intended to prevent cruelty but not dog meat consumption itself, according to Yonhap News Agency.

A few activists gathered in central Seoul on Tuesday to call for the government and parliament to work out steps to officially prohibit dog meat consumption. They placed a big placard on the street that reads “Legislate law banning the slaughters of dogs and cats!”

The South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, is looking to formally ban the consumption of dog meat in the country, saying the time has come to end the practice derided by activists against animal cruelty. He said the government should look at “prohibiting dog meat consumption,” during a meeting with his prime minister Kim Boo-kyum.

“We actively welcome President Moon Jae-in’s comments instructing a review of the dog meat consumption ban and hope there would be substantial progress on that,” animal rights organizations said in a joint statement.

Although It's unclear when a review would take place and whether a ban would be implemented, the government is expected to announce new measures as soon as Thursday.

Bibliography

Jones, E. (2021, September 27) South Korea's President Moon raises dog meat ban. [Photograph] France 24. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210927-south-korea-s-president-moon-raises-dog-meat-ban

S. Korean leader’s review of ban on eating dog meat welcomed. (2021, September 28) AP News. https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-seoul-animals-south-korea-7dd92538e5ec8305811da93128ab8bac

Sun-ung, K. (2021, September 28) South Korea considers ban on eating of dog meat. [Photograph]. Loop. https://tt.loopnews.com/content/south-korea-considers-ban-eating-dog-meat

Young-Joon, A. (2020, July 16) South Korea's president raises ban on eating dog meat: "Hasn't the time come?" [Photograph]. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-korea-dog-meat-ban-president-moon-jae-in/