**South Korea Bans Eating Dog Meat, Passing Historic Bill**
After years of intense nationwide debate, South Korea’s parliament has passed a bill that bans the breeding and slaughter of dogs for consumption, officially ending the traditional yet controversial practice of eating dog meat.
The bill received rare bipartisan support, highlighting how attitudes toward eating dog meat have transformed over the past few decades. The law will ban the distribution and sale of food products made or processed with dog ingredients, effectively putting an end to a once common practice. However, customers who consume dog meat or related products will not be subject to punishment, meaning the law will largely target those working in the industry such as dog farmers or sellers.
Under the bill, anybody slaughtering a dog for food can be punished by up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million Korean won (about $23,000). Farm owners, dog meat restaurants and other workers in the dog trade will have a three-year grace period to close or change their business, with local governments required to support those business owners in transitioning to other businesses.
The bill now heads to President Yoon Suk Yeol for final approval. The proposed bill has received vocal support from First Lady Kim Keon Hee, who owns multiple dogs and visited an animal protection organization during a presidential state visit to the Netherlands in December.
South Korea has a history of consuming dog meat, traditionally viewed as a food that could help people beat the heat during the summer and as a cheap and readily available source of protein during times of poverty. However, the practice has come under increasing criticism in recent decades, with a decline in the number of South Koreans eating dog meat as pet ownership becomes more common.
The passing of the bill has been met with fierce resistance from dog farmers and business owners, who argue that it will devastate their livelihood and traditions. However, advocates for the bill are optimistic that the grace period and relief measures included in the legislation will help to support those in the industry to transition to other businesses.
The passing of this bill marks a historic milestone in South Korea, signifying the changing attitudes towards the consumption of dog meat and reflecting the growing global trend of animal rights and welfare.