By 2027, a new law in South Korea seeks to outlaw the killing and sale of dogs for their flesh.
The regulation intends to put a stop to the centuries-old custom of consuming dog flesh.
Over the last few decades, customers' preferences have shifted away from dog meat. Younger individuals avoid it in particular.
It is against the law to raise or kill dogs for human food, nor to sell or distribute dog meat. If proven guilty, those involved may face jail time.
While people who grow dogs for meat or sell dog meat might suffer a maximum of two years in jail, those who slaughter dogs could face up to three years in prison. But eating dog meat won't be prohibited in and of itself.
Farmers and restaurant operators will have three years from the new law's implementation to find other jobs and sources of revenue. Local authorities will need them to produce a plan detailing how they intend to phase out their enterprises.
The government has committed to providing complete assistance to dog meat growers, butchers, and restaurant owners who would have to close their doors due to the forced closure of their enterprises; however, the specifics of the compensation package have not yet been finalized.
In 2023, there were over 1,600 dog meat restaurants and 1,150 dog farms in South Korea, according to official figures.
While some older South Koreans still regard dog meat stew, or "bowhunting," as a delicacy, the flesh is no longer well-liked by younger generations.
A Gallup study from the previous year revealed that just 8% of respondents had tasted dog meat in the previous 12 months, compared to 27% in 2015. Fewer than 25% of individuals surveyed claimed they were in favor of eating the meat.
The age split was evident on Tuesday lunchtime in Seoul, when a few elderly people were enjoying the stew in an alleyway surrounded by many dog meat eateries.
The 86-year-old Kim Seon-ho was let down by the ban. Since the Middle Ages, humans have consumed this. Why is it wrong for us to consume our traditional foods?" He stated. "Ban beef if you're going to outlaw dog meat."
However, student Lee Chae-yeon, 22, claimed that the prohibition was required to advance animal rights. "Today, more people own pets," she remarked. "It's not nice to eat our family; dogs are like family now."
Dog meat has been outlawed by previous administrations since the 1980s, but they were unable to carry out their promises. Both First Lady Kim Keon Hee and the present President Yoon Suk Yeol are well-known animal enthusiasts. The couple has six dogs, and Ms. Kim has advocated for an end to the dog-eating custom.
Animal rights organizations, who have long supported the ban, expressed satisfaction with Tuesday's voting result.
The executive director of the Humane Society in Korea, Jung Ah Chae, expressed her amazement at witnessing the prohibition in her lifetime. "I'm thrilled that South Korea can finally close this sad chapter in our history and embrace a dog-friendly future, even though my heart hurts for all the millions of dogs for whom this change has come too late," the speaker stated.
Farmers who raised dogs had opposed the restriction. They contended that the practice ought to be let to fade away organically over time, as it is becoming less and less common among youth. It would be challenging for many elderly farmers and restaurateurs to change careers at such a late age.
Joo Yeong-bong, a dog farmer, told the BBC that the business was in dire straits.
"The industry would have vanished in ten years. We have no option but to lose our livelihoods since we are in our 60s and 70s," he stated, calling this "an infringement of people's freedom to eat what they choose."
Mrs. Kim, the owner of a dog meat restaurant in her 60s, told the BBC that she was annoyed by the prohibition and that she thought it was because more people in South Korea were owning dogs.
"Since many young people today do not marry, they view food as food and dogs as family. Dog meat is OK as long as it is raised and killed in a sanitary manner, the speaker stated.
"Why are we banning it when other countries, like China and Vietnam, eat dogs?" she said.
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