"Time to Put an End" vs "Individual Freedom": What Are Your Thoughts on the Dog Meat Consumption Issue?

Decision to Continue Operation of 'Committee for Discussion on Dog Meat Consumption Issue'
'Consensus Reached but...' Differences in Timing and Method
93% Negative on Dog Meat Consumption... Opinions Divided on Legalization

As the committee for discussing the issue of dog meat consumption has decided to continue its activities, public opinion remains divided on the matter.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jeong-wan] Since discussions on banning dog meat consumption began in earnest last year, 17 meetings have been held without reaching any conclusion, with public opinion divided. Some argue that after decades of controversy, it is time to conclude with a ban on dog meat consumption, while others respond that it is a matter of personal freedom.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the 23rd, the "Committee for the Discussion of the Dog Meat Consumption Issue" recently decided to continue its operations. This committee was established following a statement during the Moon Jae-in administration that "it is time to carefully consider banning dog meat consumption." Although 17 meetings have been held so far, no conclusion has been reached. The committee reported that while there is consensus on banning dog meat consumption, there are differences in opinion regarding the timing and method.

The dog meat debate has been ongoing since the 1980s, when the 1988 Seoul Olympics were decided, and has resurfaced around international sporting events such as the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup and the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Apart from Korea, countries that consume dog meat outside of emergencies such as war or disasters include China, Senegal, Manchuria, Central Africa, West Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, animal protection organizations such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) sent letters to the Korean government threatening boycotts of Korean products and the 1988 Seoul Olympics if the dog meat culture persisted.

In 2002, the year of the Korea-Japan World Cup, the dog meat issue flared up again. French actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot sent a letter to the 2002 Korea World Cup Organizing Committee urging Koreans not to eat bosintang (dog meat soup) if they wanted to host the World Cup, criticizing Korea as a "barbaric country" for consuming dog meat.

Controversy also arose ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. When overseas animal protection groups sent protest letters and requests, Gangwon Province changed the signs of bosintang restaurants in Pyeongchang and Gangneung. In the UK, more than 100,000 people signed a petition calling for a ban on the dog meat trade in Korea.

Two days before Chobok (the first of the three hottest periods in summer), on the 14th, the alleys of Chilseonggae Market in Buk-gu, Daegu, had a quiet atmosphere. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Since 2020, as the number of pet owners has surged, perceptions of dog meat consumption have become more negative. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in 2020, 6.38 million households owned pets, with about 15 million people raising them. A survey conducted in April by Professor Cheon Myeong-seon’s team at Seoul National University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, involving 1,000 adults nationwide, found that 93% responded negatively to dog meat consumption.

However, opinions are somewhat divided regarding legal sanctions, as some emphasize the right to choose. In the same survey, 64% supported legislating a ban on dog meat consumption, while 4 out of 10 opposed such legislation. Reasons for opposition included the view that dietary preferences are a fundamental human right and that legal prohibition of personal profit-seeking is not feasible.

Meanwhile, the issue of dog meat consumption was not included in the comprehensive amendment to the Animal Protection Act passed by the National Assembly in April. Previously, during the 20th National Assembly, former Democratic Party lawmaker Pyo Chang-won proposed an amendment to the Animal Protection Act that would prohibit the killing of all animals except in cases with legal grounds, but it failed to pass. In 2020, lawmaker Han Jeong-ae also proposed an amendment to prohibit the slaughter, processing, use, or sale of dogs and cats for food, but it remains pending in the National Assembly.

Recently, First Lady Kim Geon-hee advocated for ending dog meat consumption, bringing the issue back into social discussion. In a media interview last month, she stated, "Ultimately, not consuming dog meat is an expression of respect for humans’ closest friends and respect for life," adding, "I believe it can be resolved through policy." President Yoon Seok-youl, during his presidential campaign, expressed personal opposition to dog meat consumption but said, "However, if it is a national policy, there should be broad social consensus."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.