In an unanimous approval of 208 to 0, South Korea bans the canine meat commerce. On January 9, 2023, the South Korean National Assembly handed a invoice prohibiting the production and sale of dog meat, ending the controversial centuries-old apply amid rising help for animal welfare (through The Guardian). Animal rights activists and invoice proponents celebrated the South Korean canine meat ban as a monumental victory for animals.
Declining recognition of canine meat
Once thought to enhance fatigue in the course of the humid Korean summers, canine meat misplaced recognition as extra South Koreans thought of dogs household pets. Dog meat consumption additionally misplaced recognition because of rising criticism of slaughter practices and inhumane remedy and situations. According to Humane Society International Korea, 1,000,000 dogs are raised and killed in South Korea annually for human consumption.
In a Gallup Korea survey carried out final 12 months (per Reuters), practically two-thirds of individuals mentioned they had been in opposition to consuming canine meat. Only 8% mentioned they’d consumed canine meat the earlier 12 months—a lower from 27% in 2015. Most South Koreans now not eat canine meat, and greater than half wished manufacturing outlawed.
More not too long ago, 94% of respondents to a examine carried out this week by the Seoul-based institute Animal Welfare Awareness, Research, and Education acknowledged they’d not eaten canine meat within the earlier 12 months. Additionally, 93% mentioned they might not accomplish that sooner or later (through The Guardian).
A recent Nielsen-HSI poll additionally revealed that almost all of South Koreans don’t have any intentions of consuming canine meat, and a big proportion helps the implementation of a ban on the apply. According to Humane Society International, “animal cruelty is the top reason for those supporting a ban (53%) with almost 50% (49.7%) citing unsanitary conditions of dog meat production as the main motivator.”
Dog meat ban opponents scuffled with police
As a sign of the continued, contentious dialogue surrounding the ban, some canine farmers introduced their intention to contest the constitutionality of the invoice. On November 30, Time reported some 200 canine meat farmers, business representatives, and restaurant house owners staged protests outdoors parliament, urging the federal government to desert their plans for the ban. To that finish, some protestors even threatened to launch 2 million dogs close to authorities landmarks as a press release of their opposition.
“If you ask how big the opposition from farmers is, we’re talking about releasing 2 million dogs we’re raising,” Joo Young-bong, the pinnacle of the Korean Dog Meat Farmers’ Association, mentioned. Joo additional acknowledged that politicians had no proper to shut an business or decide what folks eat. Police arrested Joo together with two different protestors after a scuffle at a protest rally, Reuters reported.
Government unanimously approves invoice
Despite protests and subsequent assurances from canine meat merchants claiming to have improved the humaneness of the slaughtering process, the National Assembly overwhelmingly authorised the invoice by a 208 to 0 vote. After approval by the Cabinet Council and a signature by President Yoon Suk Yeol, the invoice will turn out to be legislation.
Per AP News, the South Korean canine meat ban outlaws the breeding, slaughter, and sale of canine meat for human consumption. The invoice additionally features a three-year grace interval ending in 2027. Additionally, violators of the invoice would face sentences of two to 3 years in jail or a high-quality of 30 million South Korean gained, equal to $22,800. There aren’t any sanctions for consuming canine meat.
“This law is aimed at contributing to realizing the values of animal rights, which pursue respect for life and a harmonious co-existence between humans and animals,” the laws states.
The invoice additionally helps canine farmers and different business individuals after they shut their doorways and transfer to different ventures. Government representatives, farmers, and animal rights advocates will meet to choose the specifics of the compensation package deal. The package deal hopes to deal with considerations from the ban’s opponents about transitioning out of the canine meat commerce.
“South Korea is rapidly moving towards a society focusing on the welfare of animals, and the time is now for the South Korean government to act to resolve the problems of canine consumption,” Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung mentioned.
Activists rejoice as South Korea bans canine meat
“This is history in the making,” JungAh Chae, the manager director of Humane Society International Korea, mentioned in a press release (through NBC News). “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,” JungAh Chae added.
The president of the South Korean animal welfare organization Catch Dog, Jeung Seung-yong, additionally expressed pleasure, stating that many years of advocacy had been required to get the ban. Activists have lengthy accused the business of being inhumane, involving the merciless remedy, transportation, and slaughter strategies of dogs, typically in unsanitary situations. Additionally, the canine meat commerce includes the theft and unlawful commerce of pets.
“Until now, about 100 small and large South Korean advocate groups worked together to increase awareness about the utterly cruel ways dogs, including stolen ones, were killed for eating,” mentioned Jeung. Catch Dog has rescued about 5,000 dogs and shut down 250 canine farms because it was based in 2019.
“I never thought I would see in my lifetime a ban on the cruel dog meat industry in South Korea,” she added. “This historic win for animals is testomony to the fervour and willpower of our animal safety motion.
President Yoon Suk-yeol, an animal lover who has adopted a number of dogs and cats along with his spouse Kim Keon-hee, who has additionally criticized the sector, has been a supportive drive behind the push to make the sale of canine meat unlawful. With South Korea’s canine meat commerce ban, the nation joins India, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in prohibiting the trafficking of canine meat.
