About 200 dog farmers gathered in Seoul to protest against a proposed ban on the dog meat trade in South Korea. The Korea Dog Meat Farmers’ Association, which has long opposed crackdowns on the industry, organized the protest. The farmers also threatened to release 2 million dogs near government landmarks and the homes of lawmakers who support the ban. This comes as a bill was introduced to end the dog meat trade by 2027, with a three-year grace period for businesses to transition out of the trade. The proposed ban has garnered rare bipartisan support and is championed by the first lady, Kim Keon-hee.<\/p>\n
During the protest, a scuffle broke out between the protesters and the police, resulting in the arrest of three individuals, including the head of the Korea Dog Meat Farmers’ Association, Joo Young-bong. The police set up barricades to prevent the demonstrators from approaching the presidential office. Protesters claimed to have brought 100 dogs in vehicles, but were stopped by the police from releasing them.<\/p>\n
The proposed bill, announced by the ruling People Power Party, seeks to end South Korea’s dog meat trade by 2027. Businesses involved in the trade, including dog farms, butchers, retailers, and restaurants, would need to submit plans to local authorities for phasing out dog meat. They would be given a three-year grace period and financial aid from the government to transition out of the trade. Offenders of the ban could face a maximum five-year jail sentence or a fine of 50 million won ($38,000).<\/p>\n
First lady Kim Keon-hee, who shares five cats and six dogs with President Yoon Suk Yeol, has been a prominent advocate for the ban on the dog meat trade. During a state visit to London, she discussed the legislative development with Queen Camilla, who expressed support for her efforts. The ban has gained momentum through rare bipartisan support, with 44 lawmakers forming a group to discuss the issue.<\/p>\n
Dog meat farmers vehemently oppose the proposed ban, stating that it would threaten their livelihoods and erase a cultural tradition. They argue that the dogs should be recognized as livestock and that farmers should abide by food safety standards. However, previous attempts to categorize dogs as livestock faced opposition from animal rights activists.<\/p>\n
The practice of eating dog meat in South Korea, traditionally believed to combat summer heat, has faced growing controversy. Concerns over animal cruelty and the rising popularity of dogs as household pets have contributed to changing attitudes towards consuming dog meat. Polls show that a majority of South Koreans oppose dog meat consumption and support a ban.<\/p>\n
The dog meat trade is seen as a sore spot for South Korea’s international image, particularly as the country’s cultural influence grows. Activists and foreign observers have criticized the trade, leading to repercussions such as the cancellation of an exchange program due to concerns over the dog meat trade. The proposed ban has been welcomed by animal rights groups, who have campaigned for years to end the dog meat trade.<\/p>\n
The protest by dog farmers in South Korea highlights the contentious issue of the proposed ban on the dog meat trade. While the bill has garnered rare bipartisan support and is championed by the first lady, it faces strong opposition from dog farmers who argue that their livelihoods and cultural practices are at stake. The controversy surrounding the dog meat trade reflects changing attitudes towards animals and the increasing importance of animal welfare. As South Korea’s international prominence grows, the pressure to address the issue and align with global standards intensifies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dog farmers in South Korea held a protest near the presidential office in Seoul, opposing a bill that aims to ban the dog meat trade by 2027. The farmers threatened to release 2 million dogs near government landmarks and lawmakers’ homes. About 200 dog farmers gathered in Seoul to protest against a proposed ban on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9696\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buzz360news.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}