South Korea to put an end to eating of dog meat

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SEOUL: South Korea plans to ban eating dog meat and put an end to the controversy over the ancient custom amid growing awareness of animal rights, a ruling party policy chief said on Friday

The Korean practice of eating dog has drawn criticism from overseas for its cruelty but there has also been increasing opposition at home, particularly from the younger generation.

"It is time to put an end to social conflicts and controversies around dog meat consumption through the enactment of a special act to end it," Yu Eui-dong, policy chief of the ruling People Power Party, said at a meeting with government officials and animal rights activists.

The government and ruling party would introduce a bill this year to enforce a ban, Yu said, adding that with expected bipartisan support, the bill should sail through parliament.

Agriculture Minister Chung Hwang-keun told the meeting the government would implement a ban quickly and provide the maximum possible support for those in the dog meat industry to close their businesses.

First lady Kim Keon Hee has been a vocal critic of dog meat consumption and, along with her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, has adopted stray dogs.

Anti-dog meat bills have failed in the past because of protests by those involved in the industry, and worry about the livelihoods of farmers and restaurant owners.

The proposed ban will include a three-year grace period and financial support for businesses to transition out of the trade.

Eating dog meat has been an age-old practice on the Korean peninsula and is seen as a way to beat the summer heat.

But it is much less common than it used to be in South Korea, though it is still eaten by some older people and served in certain restaurants.

Animal rights groups welcomed the prospect of a ban. "A dream come true for all of us who have campaigned so hard to end this cruelty," Humane Society International said in a statement.

There are about dog 1,150 breeding farms, 34 slaughter houses, 219 distribution companies, and some 1,600 restaurants serving dog, according to government data

A Gallup Korea poll last year showed 64% opposed dog meat consumption. The survey found only 8% of respondents had eaten dog within the past year, down from 27% in 2015.

Source : Reuters

韓國將全面禁止吃狗肉

靈魂：執政黨政策負責人週五表示，隨著動物權利意識不斷增強，韓國旨在禁止吃狗肉，並結束有關這一古老習俗的爭議。

韓國人吃狗肉的做法因殘忍而受到海外批評，但國內的反對聲音也越來越大，尤其是年輕一代。

執政黨人民力量黨政策負責人柳義東在與政府官員舉行的會議上表示：「現在是通過制定一項特別法案來結束圍繞狗肉消費的社會衝突和爭議的時候了。」和動物權利活動家。

於是說，政府和執政黨將在今年提出一項法案來執行禁令，並補充說，在預期的兩黨支持下，該法案應該會在議會獲得通過。

農業部長鄭黃根在會議上表示，政府將迅速實施禁令，並為狗肉產業關閉企業提供最大可能的支持。

第一夫人金建熙一直直言不諱地批評吃狗肉，並與她的丈夫、總統尹錫烈一起收養了流浪狗。

過去，反狗肉法案因業內人士的抗議以及對農民和餐館老闆生計的擔憂而失敗。

擬議的禁令將包括三年寬限期以及為企業退出該行業提供財政支持。

吃狗肉在朝鮮半島是一種古老的習俗，被視為避暑的一種方式。

但它在韓國已經不像以前那麼常見了，儘管一些老年人仍然會吃它，並且在某些餐館裡也有供應。

動物權利組織對禁令的前景表示歡迎。 國際人道協會在一份聲明中表示：“對於我們所有努力結束這種殘忍行為的人來說，夢想成真了。”

根據政府數據，大約有1,150個狗養殖場、34個屠宰場、219家分銷公司和約1,600家為狗提供服務的餐館

去年的蓋洛普韓國民調顯示，64％的人反對食用狗肉。 調查發現，只有 8% 的受訪者在過去一年內吃過狗肉，低於 2015 年的 27%。