The South Korean parliament yesterday passed a bill banning breeding, slaughtering and selling dogs for their meat, a traditional practice that animal rights advocates have called an embarrassment for the nation.
Dog meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine, and at one point up to 1 million dogs were killed for the trade every year, but consumption has sharply declined as South Koreans embrace pet ownership in droves.
Eating dog meat is a taboo among younger, urban South Koreans and pressure on the government to outlaw the practice from animal rights advocates has been mounting.
Photo: AFP
Official support for a ban has grown under South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, a self-professed animal lover who has adopted several stray dogs and cats with first lady Kim Keon-hee — who is herself a vocal critic of dog meat consumption.
The bill, which was proposed by the ruling and main opposition parties, was passed unopposed by a 208-0 vote, with two abstentions.
It is to come into effect following a three-year grace period after it receives final approval from Yoon.
Under the law, breeding, selling and slaughtering dogs for their meat would be punishable by up to three years in prison or 30 million won (US$22,728) in fines.
“Now there is no longer any justification for being criticized as a ‘dog-eating country,’” said Thae Yong-ho, a ruling People Power Party lawmaker who proposed the bill.
“The ruling and opposition parties and the government must now take the lead in protecting ... animal rights,” he said in a statement.
Animal rights advocates and some lawmakers gathered outside the National Assembly to celebrate the passing of the bill, with people cheering and waving posters saying: “Goodbye dog meat consumption” and “dog meat free Korea is coming.”
“We reached a tipping point where most [South] Korean citizens reject eating dogs and want to see this suffering consigned to the history books,” Chae Jung-ah, executive director of Humane Society International/Korea, said in a statement. “Today our policymakers have acted decisively to make that a reality. While my heart breaks for all the millions of dogs for whom this change has come too late, I am overjoyed that South Korea can now close this miserable chapter in our history and embrace a dog-friendly future.”
In a survey released on Monday by Seoul-based think tank Animal Welfare Awareness, Research and Education, nine out of 10 people in South Korea said they would not eat dog meat.
The vote was a pioneering decision globally, Animal Liberation Wave said, adding that it would pave the way for protecting the rights of other animals.
“The journey towards a ‘dog meat-free Republic of Korea’ can be a starting point for not only liberating dogs, but also presenting different standards and a future for other species of animals that are subject to industrial exploitation, such as cows, pigs, and chickens,” it said in a statement.
Previous efforts to ban dog meat have run into fierce opposition from farmers who breed dogs. The new law provides compensation so that businesses can move out of the trade.
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday denounced Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) for making false allegations about donations to Ukraine and disclosing confidential documents, with the ministry saying that it would take legal action. The ministry last year signed an agreement with the Czech Republic on a healthcare project to assist Ukraine, which is to be carried out by the Czech Health Technology Institute. Hsu accused the ministry of being indirectly involved in the party politics of the Czech Republic as institute chairman Petr Foit is a local medical supplier, and has close political
‘DIGITAL SOLIDARITY’: Taiwan, the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are to install and operate a cable that would connect up to 100,000 people in the Pacific Islands Taiwan, the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are working together to install undersea cables as a demonstration of digital solidarity, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday. Blinken talked about the cooperation in a speech he delivered at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. He said that the US International Cyberspace and Digital Strategy launched by the US Department of State “treats digital solidarity as our North Star.” “Solidarity informs our approach not only to digital technologies, but to all key foundational technologies,” Blinken said. Under the strategy, the US is to work with international partners “to shape the design, development,