Dog Meat Removed from Menus, Now Operating as Boiled Meat and Hot Pot
Goat Meat Prices Soar, Making Business Transition Difficult
"As public perception of dog meat continues to worsen, there are hardly any customers even though Boknal is just around the corner."
Around noon on the 16th, the dog meat alley inside Gyeongdong Market in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, was quiet. Most Bosintang (dog meat soup) restaurants had closed their doors, and the few remaining establishments were operating under ambiguous names such as "Jeongol" (hot pot) or "Suyuk" (boiled meat), erasing the word "dog" from their menus.
With the so-called "Dog Meat Consumption Ban Act" enacted last year, Bosintang restaurants are feeling a subdued atmosphere ahead of Boknal, which used to be their peak season.
The Dog Meat Consumption Ban Act stipulates that anyone who breeds, slaughters, distributes, or sells dogs for food purposes can be sentenced to up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million won. This law will take effect starting February 7, 2027, after the grace period ends.
The dog meat alley inside Gyeongdong Market in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, is quiet ahead of the hottest days of summer. Photo by Sunjin Byun
There was only one group of customers at the restaurant run by Bae Hyundong (age 79), who has operated a Bosintang eatery for 37 years. There was a time when people had to wait in line for over an hour as Boknal approached, but now, with customers having disappeared, he had to let his employees go and now runs the restaurant with his wife. Bae said, "Since the law was made under the previous administration, I wondered if it might change, so I haven't closed the restaurant yet," but added, "Given how negative the perception of dog meat has become, realistically, it seems inevitable that the business will end."
At the dog meat wholesale and retail shops, dog meat was seen behind glass display cases covered with rice sacks and other items. The price for 600 grams of dog meat was 8,500 won. In the past, the price per 600 grams exceeded 10,000 won during Boknal, but as demand has declined, the price has remained unchanged for several years. Even so, there were no customers seeking dog meat throughout lunchtime.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the main government body in charge, announced in its "Basic Plan for Ending Dog Meat Consumption" last October that it would provide up to 4 million won in closure support and up to 2.5 million won for changing the type of meat sold to these businesses. However, Bosintang restaurant owners say that it is difficult to either switch businesses or close down. One Bosintang restaurant owner commented, "I don't know what I can do with that amount of money," and added, "Truly effective support would be about how we can continue our livelihoods afterward."
Some Bosintang restaurants are attempting to switch to goat meat restaurants, but the sharp rise in goat prices in recent years has become a major obstacle. Goat meat, which has a similar taste to dog meat, is considered an alternative among dog meat enthusiasts, but with wholesale prices soaring, it has become difficult to make a profit. According to the Korea Black Goat Association, as of March this year, the nationwide farm price for castrated goats was 19,000 won per kilogram, a 46% increase compared to July 2021 (13,000 won). Park, who switched his restaurant to a goat meat business, said, "With meat prices so high, there's nothing left even after selling," and added, "I'm considering whether I should close down."
Cho Heekyung, head of Animal Liberation Wave, said, "The illegality of the dog meat industry has already been pointed out for years, but the businesses have continued to operate," and added, "The ban on dog meat is a decision in line with the current trend that our society can no longer tolerate a cruel food industry." She continued, "The government should actively implement effective measures to encourage business closures during the grace period."
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