In a historic development, South Korea's National Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill banning the dog meat trade in the country. South Korea's dog meat ban comes years after animal activists demanded to stop slaughtering canines and eating them. Notably, eating dog meat in South Korea is an age-old tradition and the newly passed bill has brought some relief for the animal activists and also for the innocent canines.
As per local media reports, the bill received bipartisan support across South Korea’s divided political landscape, highlighting how attitudes toward eating dog meat have transformed over the past few decades during the country’s rapid industrialization. Now, the question arises what are the punishments proposed by the South Korean government over dog meat consumption and trade?
Under the South Korean dog meat ban law, the distribution and sale of food products made or processed with dog ingredients have been prohibited. However, people who eat dog meat or related products will not face any kind of punishment. It means the South Korea dog meat ban law targets people working in the industry such as dog farmers or sellers.
South Korea dog meat ban bill punishment
As per the bill, if anybody is caught slaughtering a dog for food, then he or she can be punished with up to three years in prison or fined up to 30 million Korean won (about $23,000). Anyone who breeds dogs for eating, or who knowingly acquires, transports, stores, or sells food made from dogs, also faces a lower fine and prison time.
Furthermore, dog farm owners, dog meat restaurants, and other workers in the dog trade have been given a three-year ultimatum to close or change their business. Local governments will be required to support those business owners to “stably” transition to other businesses. Now, the bill heads to President Yoon Suk Yeol for final approval.