[Bosintang Byeolgok (別曲)] (Part 1) Is It Time to Say Goodbye to Meat Dogs? ... A New Phase in the '45-Year Debate'

It is still nearly two months until Chobok (July 11), but in May, the 'Boshintang debate' has already heated up early, much like the heatwave that arrived sooner than usual.

Opposition to Dog Meat Hand Placard
Photo by Yonhap News

First Lady Kim Geon-hee, wife of President Yoon Seok-yeol, sparked the issue. On the 13th of last month, at a meeting with animal protection group representatives at the Blue House's Sangchunjae, Kim said, "We will strive to end dog meat consumption during this administration's term."

Just one day after her remarks, Tae Young-ho, a member of the People Power Party in the National Assembly, introduced a bill to amend the Animal Protection Act to ban the slaughter, use, and sale of dogs and cats for food. Kim Min-seok, the policy chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, also announced, "We will propose and pass a special law to prohibit illegal breeding, slaughter, and consumption of dogs and support the stable transition of related merchants."

The debate is intensifying outside the National Assembly as well. About 260 animal organizations in Korea support Kim's remarks and continue activities to raise awareness of incidents related to dog meat breeding and slaughter. On the other hand, the Korea Dog Meat Association issued a statement opposing the end of dog meat consumption and is engaging in collective actions such as rallies in response.

Our Changing Dining Table, Debate Enters a New Phase

Koreans have consumed dog meat for about 10,000 years. This is evidenced by dog bones found at the Neolithic site of Hoihyeon-dong shell mound in Gimhae, Gyeongnam. The debate has lasted 45 years. In 1978, when the National Assembly amended the Livestock Products Processing Act to exclude dogs from livestock products, the slaughter and distribution of dogs fell outside the scope of the law, sparking the debate.

First Lady Kim Geon-hee visited Taepyeong Traditional Market in Jung-gu, Daejeon on April 14th and greeted 'Lotto,' a stray dog belonging to a fruit shop owner. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The debate has repeated the same patterns every year without resolution, but experts say this year should be viewed differently. Generations have changed, and our dining tables have transformed significantly. The 'Boshintang debate' is now an unavoidable 'issue of the times.'

As Korea's era changes, analyses suggest that the value of meat, including dog meat, on Korean dining tables has greatly diminished.

According to a May 2022 study by Professor Jo Mi-sook's team from Ewha Womans University's Department of Food and Nutrition titled 'Perceptions and Choice Attributes of Vegetarians and Omnivores Regarding Plant-Based Foods,' the number of vegetarians in Korea is estimated to be between 1 million and 1.5 million, with about 500,000 likely being vegans.

In a survey of 245 adult vegetarians, about half (50.6%) were vegans, and 34.7% started vegetarianism for 'animal protection,' second only to health reasons (36.3%).

Experts believe that with growing protection concerns, the number of people who do not consume dog meat has increased significantly compared to beef and pork. This is evident from the fact that it is now difficult to see 'Boshintang' signs in restaurants.

At some point, restaurants selling dog meat changed their signs from 'Boshintang' to 'Yeongyangtang' (nutritional soup), selling dog meat alongside goat meat.

Lee Sang-kyung, team leader at Humane Society International (HSI) Korea, said, "There is a trend of replacing nutrients like protein from meat with other foods. While the current debate focuses on dog meat, I believe it will extend to beef and pork in the future."

A 'Vegan Advocacy Press Conference' is being held at Gwanghwamun Intersection in Seoul on World Vegan Day.
[Photo by Asia Economy DB]

Rising Awareness of Protection in the International Community... "Minimizing Suffering Even in Food Use"

The international community's growing awareness of animal protection also seems to have fueled public opinion to end dog meat consumption.

Recently, there has been an increase in laws regulating the minimization of suffering when animals are inevitably killed for food. Europe is particularly notable in this regard.

In July 2021, the UK Parliament amended the Animal Welfare Act to extend its scope to invertebrates such as lobsters, octopuses, and squids. The rationale is that invertebrates also feel pain and should be killed more humanely.

Under this law, UK chefs and fishermen must stun or kill seafood humanely before cooking, using methods like electric shocks or freezing. Delivering live seafood is prohibited. Switzerland, Norway, and New Zealand also outlaw boiling crustaceans alive.

Similar efforts are underway in Korea. The Ministry of Justice proposed a civil law amendment in 2021 to add the clause "Animals are not objects," which is currently pending in the National Assembly.

Choi Jeong-ho, a research professor at Seoul National University's Big Data Innovation Sharing University Project Group, argued in his June last year paper titled 'Constitutional Issues and Tasks Regarding the Dog Meat Industry' that "it is appropriate to stipulate animal protection provisions in the constitution."

He explained the reason, stating, "Although animals, unlike ordinary objects, have more grounds for protection as living beings, their status remains unstable in relation to other public interests."

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