Political Circles United Against 'Dog Meat Consumption'... Will They Achieve Social Consensus?

Related Discussions Stalemated for 1 Year and 6 Months
Following First Lady's Mention, Ruling and Opposition Bills 'In Focus'

Although the government has been discussing the end of dog meat consumption for several years, social consensus has yet to be reached. However, recent unified voices from the political sphere are drawing attention.

First, on the 11th, Kim Geon-hee, wife of President Yoon Seok-yeol, held a private luncheon with animal protection organization representatives at the Blue House's Sangchunjae. According to reports, during the meeting, Mrs. Kim mentioned that she had watched animal-related TV programs and said, "It is heartbreaking to see scenes of animal abuse." Additionally, the topic of "ending dog meat consumption" came up during the discussion.

Then, the ruling party, the Democratic Party of Korea, also raised voices calling for the legalization of a ban on dog meat consumption. Two days after Mrs. Kim's private meeting, on the 13th, Kim Min-seok, chairman of the Democratic Party's Policy Committee, brought up the issue during the party's policy coordination meeting.

Chairman Kim stated, "It is time to conclude discussions on the dog meat issue," adding, "We will propose and pass a special law banning illegal breeding, slaughter, and consumption of dogs, and support stable career transitions for related merchants."

Protest Against Dog Meat Consumption
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Subsequently, on the 14th, the People Power Party proposed an amendment to the Animal Protection Act that prohibits the slaughter, use, and sale of dogs and cats for food.

The amendment includes provisions that prohibit individuals convicted of violating animal abuse regulations from raising animals, and strengthens penalties for killing or abusing animals to death, imposing imprisonment of at least one year and up to ten years. Furthermore, it allows the government to provide subsidies when dog and cat meat businesses report closure or change their business type.

Attention is focused on whether this political momentum can be the key to resolving the dog meat issue, which has remained unsolved for nearly a year and a half.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the 15th, the "Committee for Discussions on the Dog Meat Issue" was launched in December 2021, but negotiations remain deadlocked. The committee has held more than 20 meetings until last month but has yet to draft even a roadmap.

Some argue that since the Livestock Act defines dogs as "livestock" but the Food Sanitation Act does not classify them as food animals, stronger enforcement measures such as fines and penalties should be introduced. However, there are also voices calling for support measures that allow voluntary business closures to avoid backlash from those working in the dog-related industry.

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, "We are striving to reach a social consensus to end dog meat consumption," adding, "We will review various measures to ensure that dog meat consumption can be ended as soon as possible."

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