South Korea’s dog meat ban has driven the closure of nearly 90 percent of registered farms ahead of the February 2027 enforcement deadline. Animal welfare organizations execute final rescues while remaining vendors face economic pressure.
Farms Close Ahead of Government Enforcement Deadline
As a nationwide prohibition approaches on February 7, 2027, South Korea’s dog meat industry is contracting rapidly. By September 21, government figures showed that 1,339 of the country’s 1,537 registered dog meat farms had already shut down, representing roughly 87 percent of the total, according to Lady Freethinker. After decades of advocacy alongside Korean activists, In Defense of Animals celebrated the historic legislative victory in January 2024.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that approximately 468,000 canines were held across 1,537 farms when the national ban was initially approved, the, New York Post noted. Inspectors are scheduled to investigate all remaining locations during the final two months of the year.
Rescue Groups Race to Save Remaining Animals
With 198 meat farms still operational and an estimated 7,600 dogs remaining inside those facilities, animal welfare groups are racing against time. Humane World for Animals completed its final large-scale rescue operation in South Korea, removing more than 70 dogs from a farm in Gangjin County, The Cool Down reported. That farm once raised and killed up to 1,000 dogs each year. Over 80 percent of the country’s total dog farms have closed since enforcement began in 2024.
This last rescue in South Korea represents a major milestone in our mission to end this cruel industry.
Humane World for Animals
Groups like In Defense of Animals and Jindo Love Rescue are working to place surviving animals with permanent families in the United States and Canada before the ban takes full effect. Sangkyung Lee is the Korea campaign manager for Humane World for Animals. Sangkyung Lee described the effort as the perfect closing chapter to our 10-year mission as South Korea embarks on a new relationship with dogs in which they are friends not food.
Seoul Vendors Face Economic Pressures
In Seoul’s Gyeongdong Market, culinary businesses have transformed. South Korea hosted 6,484 dog meat restaurants in 1998. That count dropped to 2,352 by May, leaving just a single vendor operating in that specific market.
One vendor who sold dog meat for 56 years spent his $1,000 government compensation package on LED signs and exterior banners advertising black goats. Black goats are a native alternative customarily eaten during Bok Nal. Eighty percent of his remaining customers prefer dog meat, and sharply rising prices for shrinking supplies have forced him to double his menu prices.
South Korea Sets Prison Terms for Dog Meat Trade
Once the full prohibition takes effect on February 7, 2027, anyone caught farming, slaughtering, or selling dog meat for human consumption inside South Korea will face up to two years in prison and a fine exceeding $20,000. Lee Yong-jik is the director general of the ministry’s Animal Welfare Policy Bureau. Lee Yong-jik stated that The end of dog meat consumption marks a crucial turning point that will elevate our society’s animal welfare standards to the next level.
Government officials have called on local municipalities to assist with the care of the remaining 7,600 dogs after the ban takes effect. Lawmakers in Japan are considering legislation to prohibit the consumption of dog and cat meat, driven by concerns that the trade might otherwise shift northward as South Korea closes its market. Lady Freethinker noted that these developments offer hope for efforts to end the trade across the entire region.
Will local municipalities successfully house and care for the remaining 7,600 dogs after the February 7, 2027 deadline?