Consumption of dog meat could soon be banned in South Korea, thanks to President Moon Jae-in’s love for the animals. During a weekly meeting with South Korean Prime Minister, Kim Boo-kyum, Moon said the time had come to “prudently consider” a ban on the practice that has long been detested by animal rights groups, and 59% of South Koreans, according to a poll conducted in 2020 by Nielsen for Humane Society International. The Nielsen poll also found that 84% of South Koreans had never consumed dog meat or did not want to consume it in the future.
The Associated Press reported that some activists gathered in central Seoul on Tuesday with a big placard that read “Legislate law banning the slaughters of dogs and cats!”
They also visited Moon’s office and the Parliament to press for the ban on dog meat consumption, said Lee Won Bok, head of the Korea Association of Animal Protection.
“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.
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Three of the country’s largest dog meat markets have shut in recent years amid a growing trend to keep the animals as pets, reports the BBC. Still about 1 million dogs are believed to be eaten annually, according to Guardian UK.
Moon has several dogs at Blue House, his office and official residence in Seoul, including one named Tory whom he rescued after taking office.
Moon called for the dog meat ban during a briefing on measures to protect abandoned animals in the country.
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“A growing number of South Koreans are considering the consumption of dog meat as a matter of animal abuse rather than tradition,” Jeon Jin-kyung, head of the Korea Animal Rights Advocates, told the Korea Times.
South Korea’s animal protection law is intended mainly to prevent the cruel slaughter of dogs and cats but does not ban consumption itself.
Nonetheless, authorities have invoked the law and other hygiene regulations to crack down on dog farms and restaurants ahead of international events such as the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
Several presidential candidates have already raised the possibility of banning dog meat ahead of next year’s elections.
Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, considered a strong candidate, has mentioned it in his campaigning, telling supporters that there need to be new laws and policies based on “social consensus”.
