SK Passes Landmark Ban On Sales Of Dog Meat

South Korea's parliament has passed a landmark ban on the production and sales of dog meat as public calls for a prohibition have grown sharply over concerns about animal rights and the country's international image, as reported by the Associated Press (AP).

Recent surveys show that more than half of South Koreans want dog meat banned, and a majority no longer eat it.

Some angry dog farmers said they plan to challenge the bill's constitutionality and hold protest rallies, a sign of continued heated debate over the ban.

The bill would make slaughtering, breeding, and sales of dog meat for human consumption illegal from 2027 and punishable by two to three years of imprisonment. It doesn't provide any penalties for eating dog meat.

Dog meat consumption, a centuries-old practice on the Korean Peninsula, is neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea.

Recent surveys show that more than half of South Koreans want dog meat banned, and a majority no longer eat it. However, one in every three South Koreans still opposes a ban even though they don't consume it.

The National Assembly passed the bill by a 208-0 vote. It will become law after being endorsed by the Cabinet Council and signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol, considered formalities since his government supports the ban.

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