A heated national controversy has erupted in South Korea following the introduction of legislation to ban the breeding, slaughter, and sale of dog meat—a centuries‑old practice—set to take effect by February 2027. The ban has generated impassioned responses from diverse stakeholders, including farmers, animal rights activists, government officials, and the general public, reverberating across platforms such as X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and traditional media.
Legislative Background & Implementation Timeline
Date of enactment: 9 January 2024 – South Korea’s National Assembly passed the ban unanimously.
Grace period: A transitional window extends until 2027, allowing farmers and restaurants to wind down operations and shift to alternative industries
Enforcement: Breeding, selling, and serving dog meat will be prohibited. Violators face up to three years in prison or fines as high as ₩30 million .
Scope & Societal Shift
Industry scale: As of 2022, approximately 520,000 dogs on 1,156 farms were destined for consumption, with 388,000 served annually across 1,666 establishments.
Popular sentiment: Recent Gallup Korea data reveals only 8% of Koreans consumed dog meat in 2023 (down from 27% in 2015), and over 60% now view the practice unfavourably.
Farmers in Crisis
Economic hardship: Nearly 40% of dog‑meat farms (623 out of 1,537) have closed since the law’s passing. Many operators are struggling financially and lacking livelihoods.
Voices of protest: Rev. Ju Yeong‑bong, president of the Korean Association of Edible Dog, warned the ban “infringes on personal dietary choice” and could drive business underground. He even threatened to release dogs into Seoul as a form of protest
Animal Welfare & Rehoming Efforts
Government support: The agriculture ministry announced a ₩100 billion package (~$75 million), including ₩600,000 per surrendered dog (approx. $450), and expanded shelter capacity to support rescues.
Rescues in action: Actor Daniel Henney, collaborating with Humane World for Animals, personally assisted in the relocation of 67 Jindo‑mix dogs from a closed meat farm in Cheongju to a sanctuary in Maryland.
Challenges ahead: With shelter space limited and many dogs deemed “dangerous breeds,” experts warn that painful decisions — including euthanasia — may become unavoidable.
Public Reaction & Cultural Discord
Social media storm:
- On X, hashtags like #DogBanKorea and #SaveTheFarmers are trending. Younger users applaud the ban as humane progress, whereas rural communities lament what they call a cultural erosion.
- TikTok influencers are sharing emotional shelter footage, boosting adoption campaigns. Yet critics caution against overstating the crisis.
- A Reddit thread in korea exposed divisive opinions: one user wrote, “Dogs are sooooo domesticated… I think the first domesticated animal… They’ve evolved SO much.”
whereas another cautioned against “speciesism,” arguing meat choices are culturally conditioned .
Animal rights advocacy: Korean K9 Rescue, Humane Society International/Korea, and KAPES are actively promoting adoption drives and educational campaigns
Policy Decisions & Leadership
Ministerial oversight: Song Mi‑ryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, reaffirmed her ministry’s role in overseeing the ban and coordinating farmer transitions during her confirmation hearings in December 2023.
Local government actions: Seoul City Council is drafting parallel ordinances to phase out dog meat locally, signalling potential municipal leadership ahead of national enforcement
Looking Ahead: Milestones & Watchpoints
Key upcoming events:
- February 2027: Full prohibition begins—no farm breeding, no meat serving.
- 2025–2026: Official evaluation of shelter capacities and farmer re‑employment schemes.
Indicators to monitor:
Public sentiment shifts post‑enforcement.
Rate of shelter adoption vs. euthanasia.
Farmer feedback on subsidy sufficiency.
Police reports on illegal slaughterhouses.
