Up to 600,000 KRW Support per Edible Dog... Early Transfer and Closure Encouraged for Breeding Farms

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Announces 'Basic Plan to End Dog Meat Consumption'
Supports Enforcement of Dog Meat Consumption Ban Law in 2027
Next Year's Budget 109.5 Billion Won... Scheduled for Approval in December

Starting in 2027, the consumption of dog meat will be prohibited by law, and the government will support the closure or transition of over 5,900 dog meat farms nationwide. To help farm owners proceed with closure or transition quickly, a closure implementation promotion subsidy will be established, with larger support amounts provided for earlier compliance. The subsidy is up to 600,000 KRW per dog.

Park Beom-su, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is speaking at the briefing on the Basic Plan to End Dog Meat Consumption held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 26th. / Photo by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the "Basic Plan to End Dog Meat Consumption" on the 26th, containing specific solutions by sector to end dog meat consumption by 2027.

According to the "Special Act on Ending the Breeding, Slaughter, and Distribution of Dogs for Meat Consumption," enacted in February, from February 7, 2027, it will be prohibited to breed, slaughter, distribute, or sell dogs for meat consumption purposes. Businesses operating for dog meat consumption must mandatorily close or transition by the prohibition date.

Before the law takes effect, the Ministry conducted surveys of the related industry and commissioned research from specialized institutions. After discussions with relevant ministries and stakeholders, the policy direction was finalized. On the 24th, Park Beom-su, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and chair of the Dog Meat Consumption End Committee, reviewed and approved the basic plan.

This basic plan aims for the complete achievement of ending dog meat consumption by 2027. It presents concrete implementation measures based on three main strategies: ▲incentives for closure or transition by industry for early termination ▲establishment of a seamless enforcement system ▲and expansion of social consensus.

The Ministry plans to support the closure or transition of 5,898 dog meat industry sites. Since all dog meat businesses that reported their operations under the Dog Meat Consumption End Act have submitted closure or transition plans, smooth implementation will be encouraged.

In this process, emphasis will be placed on early reduction of dog breeding for meat purposes by providing closure implementation promotion subsidies to farm owners. The earlier the closure or transition is completed, the greater the subsidy will be. Farm owners will receive up to 600,000 KRW per dog based on the average annual number of dogs reported to city, county, or district offices.

Additionally, when farm owners and slaughter merchants close their businesses, support will be provided for the residual value of facilities calculated through appraisal. If they switch to agriculture, related facilities or operating funds will be supported through low-interest loans. For distributors and food service operators who close their businesses, up to 4 million KRW for store demolition costs and up to 1.9 million KRW for reemployment success allowances will be provided in connection with the Small and Medium Venture Business Administration's support program for closed small business owners.

The Ministry has prepared a budget proposal of 109.5 billion KRW for next year. This budget includes 56.2 billion KRW for closure implementation promotion subsidies and 30.5 billion KRW for residual facility values for farm owners. The final budget will be confirmed in December after National Assembly budget review. If support continues after 2026, the total support amount could exceed 200 billion KRW.

A scene of a Bosintang restaurant in Seoul [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry is also working to establish a seamless system to end dog meat consumption. The current dog breeding scale is estimated at about 466,000 dogs. To proactively reduce this, the government plans to encourage voluntary breeding minimization and systematic monitoring of dog populations by farm owners. Dogs left behind due to cessation of breeding will be adopted as much as possible by individual households under the Animal Protection Act. The Ministry clarified that there are no plans for euthanasia.

To ensure stable settlement of ending dog meat consumption, social consensus will be expanded and violations will be strictly monitored after 2027. Campaigns and promotions will be conducted to raise awareness of animal welfare values to end the dog meat consumption culture. Education on the life cycle of companion animals will also be provided. After the Dog Meat Consumption End Act is enforced, joint inspection teams with local governments will be formed to thoroughly crack down on breeding, slaughter, distribution, and sales of dogs for meat consumption purposes.

In particular, illegal acts such as animal abuse involving stealing others' companion dogs for meat consumption will be dealt with strongly. Vice Minister Park said, "We plan to respond strongly to animal abuse cases from now on," adding, "If violations of laws, including the Dog Meat Consumption End Act, are detected, strict measures will be taken according to the law."