End a controversial tradition: The parliament in South Korea has passed a law banning the trade in dog meat. Members of the National Assembly voted unanimously on Tuesday in favor of the regulation, which will come into force after a three-year grace period and final confirmation from President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Accordingly, breeding, selling and slaughtering dogs for meat will in future be punished with up to three years in prison or a fine of 30 million won (equivalent to 20,000 euros).
Eating dog meat has a long tradition in South Korean cuisine. It is estimated that at times up to a million dogs per year were killed for the trade. According to government figures, there are 1,100 dog farms that breed the animals, which are offered as a delicacy in restaurants across the country.
90 percent no longer want to eat dog meat
However, consumption has fallen sharply recently. Eating dog meat is now a taboo, especially among the younger and urban population; The pressure from animal rights activists on the government also grew increasingly.
Activists welcomed the new law. “I am overjoyed that South Korea is now closing this sad chapter in its history and ushering in a dog-friendly future,” said Korean executive director of Humane Society International, Jungah Chae.
According to a survey published on Monday by the think tank Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education (Aware), nine out of ten South Koreans say they will no longer eat dog meat in the future. However, attempts to ban the trade have so far met with bitter resistance from breeders. According to the law that has now been passed, they will receive compensation in order to be able to withdraw from trading.
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