Resolution of the "Special Act to End Dog Meat Consumption" at the Plenary Session
From now on, it will be prohibited to newly operate or additionally run facilities that breed, slaughter, or distribute dogs for food purposes. Furthermore, starting in 2027, the acts of breeding, slaughtering, distributing, and selling dogs for food purposes will be completely banned.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that the "Special Act on the End of Breeding, Slaughtering, and Distribution of Dogs for Food Purposes," which contains these provisions, was passed at the National Assembly plenary session on the 9th.
The special act on ending dog consumption will be enforced six months after its promulgation. From that time, it will be prohibited to newly or additionally operate dog breeding farms, slaughterhouses, distribution, and sales facilities for food purposes. Violations will result in fines of up to 3 million KRW. Additionally, breeding farms must report their operational status to local governments within three months after promulgation and submit an end-of-operation implementation plan within six months.
Starting in 2027, three years after promulgation, all acts of breeding, slaughtering, distributing, and selling dogs for food purposes will be completely banned. Violations involving slaughtering will be punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or fines up to 30 million KRW, while breeding, propagating, distributing, or selling will be punishable by imprisonment of up to two years or fines up to 20 million KRW.
With the enactment of the special act to end dog consumption, from 2027, breeding, slaughtering, distributing, and selling dogs for food purposes will be legally prohibited in South Korea, as in the United States and Taiwan. The government has stated that it will provide maximum reasonable support to breeding farms, slaughterhouses, distributors, and restaurants that cease operations entirely under the special act to help them maintain stable economic activities.
Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "South Korea is rapidly transforming into an animal welfare society, and now is the time for the government to take action to promptly resolve the issue of dog consumption. We plan to prepare support measures within a reasonable scope through continuous communication with the dog meat industry and animal protection organizations, and we ask for the cooperation of the dog meat industry and the public."
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