First Lady Kim Geon-hee: "If I see animal abuse, I can't sleep for 3 nights and 4 days"

Private Lunch with Animal Rights Group at Sangchunjae, Cheong; Expresses Commitment to Ending Dog Meat Consumption

First Lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of President Yoon Suk-yeol, has expressed her determination to end dog meat consumption within the current government term, stating, "I believe it is my duty to work towards ending dog meat consumption."

Kim made these remarks at a private invitation luncheon held recently at the Blue House's Sangchunjae, according to a report by News1 on the 12th. Representatives from animal rights organizations such as Animal Freedom Union and KARA attended the event.

Kim also shared an episode about her husband, President Yoon, who personally made handmade treats for their pets. She reportedly said, "When I see abuse scenes on the TV program 'Animal Farm,' I cannot sleep for three to four days," and added, "I will strive to end dog meat consumption within the government term."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are taking a commemorative photo with Saerom, a retired guide dog they adopted on December 24 last year at the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
[Image courtesy of the Presidential Office, Yonhap News]

Kim has consistently expressed her commitment to ending dog meat consumption. In an interview with Seoul Shinmun on June 13 last year, she stated, "Among economically developed countries, only South Korea and China consume dog meat," advocating for the cessation of dog meat consumption. Ending dog meat consumption was also a campaign pledge made by President Yoon during his presidential candidacy.

At that time, Kim said, "I hope to see concrete results in issues such as animal abuse, abandonment of stray dogs, and dog meat consumption. Since these issues can foster anti-Korean sentiment, I believe universal cultural values should be shared with advanced countries," and suggested, "I believe (ending dog meat consumption) can be resolved through policy. There could also be policy support for small-scale dog meat businesses to transition to other industries."

The issue of dog meat consumption, first raised during the 1988 Seoul Olympics, remains a longstanding challenge in our society. As awareness of animal rights has increased and calls to eradicate the dog meat culture have grown louder, related discussions are ongoing; however, opposition from the dog meat industry and others remains significant.

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