South Korea is set to roll out plans to reimburse farmers and others in its declining dog meat industry and rehome dogs ahead of a country-wide formal ban in 2027.
In January this year, South Korea’s parliament passed a landmark bill that will ban dog meat consumption. The bill, which prohibits the breeding, butchering, distributing and selling of dogs for meat, passed through the parliament with 208 votes in favour and two abstentions.
The bill calls for providing subsidies to help people in the country’s dog meat industry switch jobs.
First Lady Kim Keon Hee has also openly expressed her support for the ban, saying outlawing the practice was one of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidential campaign promises. Yoon and Kim are pet lovers, living with four dogs and three cats.
Law enforcement is slated to begin in 2027, after a three-year grace period, and violators could face a maximum of two years of prison sentence or a fine of up to 30 million won (US$ 22,768).
According to the Associated Press, the Agriculture Ministry said that farmers would receive compensation starting from 225,000 won ($170) and rising to 600,000 won ($450) per dog if they agree to shut down their businesses early.
An association of farmers rejected the offer, saying in a statement that they could not relinquish their dogs for such low prices. Farmers earlier called for 2 million won ($1,505) per dog. They’ve said the ban infringes on their right to choose their own jobs and will aggravate their economic difficulties.
The association said that farmers will keep fighting even if they end up being jailed. Earlier in the week, they called for the law to be amended to extend the grace period and add appropriate compensation plans.
Meanwhile, animal campaigners at Humane Society International/Korea have welcomed it as an “important milestone in this historic plan” and called on other countries across Asia to follow suit. However, more action is needed to prevent unnecessary dog suffering, says HSI/Korea.
Sangkyung Lee, HSI/Korea’s end dog meat campaign manager, made the following statement, “Publication of the government’s Basic Plan to phase out South Korea’s dog meat industry marks an important milestone in this historic ban that will see it through to completion and end our country’s dog meat era for good.”
Lee continued, “We hope that other countries across Asia where the dog meat trade persists despite public opposition will follow South Korea’s lead so that our Special Act and Basic Plan can be the catalyst for similar compassionate action around the world. HSI/Korea stands ready to further advise the government on dog welfare and to rescue dogs where we can so that innocent victims of this brutal dog meat industry have a chance of a happy life.”
Regarding the financial support plan for dog meat farmers, Lee said, “We are disappointed that the government’s Basic Plan provides financial support for dog farms based on the number of dogs. While limits are set based on the reported capacity of waste disposal facilities, this approach risks potentially increasing dog breeding with the aim of getting more money from the scheme, with more puppies being born into suffering.”
Lee said, “This completely goes against the purpose of the special law, risks subjecting even more dogs to unnecessary suffering and could actually make the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ job of dog farm population management even harder in the long-term. We urge MAFRA (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) to rethink this idea and switch instead to a fixed financial amount or support package based on each farmer’s transition business plan.”
The Korean Animal Welfare Association, a Seoul-based animal rights group, told the Associated Press that local governments must strictly monitor farms to prevent them from increasing their number of dogs through breeding. It praised the government for trying to take reasonable steps to phase out the industry but criticised farmers for seeking excessive compensation.
According to the Humane Society, demand for dog meat is at an all-time low. A 2023 Nielsen Korea opinion poll shows that 86% of South Koreans won’t eat dog meat in the future, and 57% support a ban.
South Korea is the only nation with industrial-scale dog farms. Government statistics cited by the country’s National Assembly showed there are around 1,150 dog farms, 34 butchering businesses, 219 distributors and approximately 1,600 restaurants that sell food made with dog meat in South Korea.
When the ban comes into force, Park said the government plans to facilitate adoptions for the remaining dogs or move them to care facilities rather than euthanise them.
The agriculture ministry said butchers will also be compensated, while local authorities will be responsible for dismantling dog farms and slaughterhouses. Former farmers and butchers will also get low-interest loans if they pivot to other agricultural businesses.
The ministry also said authorities will also offer financial assistance to traders and restaurant owners to shut down their businesses and find new jobs.
Back in January, news of the bill’s passage led to dozens of animal rights activists gathering at the National Assembly to celebrate. They carried large photos of dogs, chanted slogans and held placards reading “Dog meat-free Korea is coming.”
South Korea joins a growing list of governments across Asia that have banned the dog meat trade (with varying degrees of enforcement), including Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, India, Thailand and Singapore, as well as the cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in mainland China, Siem Reap province in Cambodia, and more than 60 cities, regencies and provinces in Indonesia.