South Korea is planning to introduce a ban on canine meat, the nation’s ruling political get together stated on Friday, placing an finish to an argument over the traditional customized that has divided generations.
Eating canine meat is neither banned nor explicitly legalised in South Korea. Consumption has dwindled within the nation over the years resulting from criticism from animal rights teams and the younger era’s dying urge for food for the meat.
“It is time to place an finish to social conflicts and controversies round canine meat consumption by way of the enactment of a particular act to finish it,” Yu Eui-dong, coverage chief of the ruling People Power Party, stated at a gathering with authorities officers and animal rights activists on Friday.
He stated the federal government would introduce a invoice to enact the ban earlier than the top of this 12 months, and that it could be anticipated to sail by way of the parliament.
The invoice, if handed this winter, will permit a three-year grace interval to part out the business, which might successfully finish the consumption of the animals by 2027.
“We will provide full support to farmers, butchers and other businesses facing closure or transition due to this law,” Mr Yu stated.
He added that compensation could be offered solely to legally registered canine meat farmers, merchants, slaughterers and restaurant house owners.
South Korean animal rights activists maintain likenesses of useless dogs throughout a protest in opposition to the canine meat commerce
(AFP/Getty Images)
Agriculture minister Chung Hwang-keun advised the assembly that the federal government would implement a ban rapidly.
Nearly a million dogs are “farmed and killed for human consumption” in a 12 months, in accordance with Humane Society International.
“With so many dogs needlessly struggling for a meat that hardly anybody eats, the federal government’s invoice delivers a daring plan that should now urgently be handed by the Assembly so {that a} legislative ban will be agreed as quickly as attainable to assist South Korea shut this depressing chapter in our historical past and embrace a dog-friendly future,” JungAh Chae, govt director of Humane Society International, stated in an announcement following the assembly.
Anti-dog meat payments have failed up to now due to protests by these concerned within the business, and worries in regards to the livelihoods of farmers and restaurant house owners.
Eating canine meat has been an age-old apply on the Korean peninsula and was historically seen as a technique to beat the summer time warmth through the Bok Nal season between July and August. While the younger era has largely rejected the apply, it nonetheless holds significance among the many older era and is served in eating places.
A ballot performed in 2020 discovered that 84 per cent of South Koreans have by no means consumed canine meat and 59 per cent of residents help banning consumption.
South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol and first woman Kim Keon Hee are referred to as animal lovers and have adopted stray dogs. The first woman has been a vocal critic of canine meat consumption.
There are about 1,150 canine breeding farms, 34 slaughter homes, 219 distribution corporations, and a few 1,600 eating places serving canine, in accordance with authorities information.
