The South Korean dog meat trade has received a lot of attention over the past few years because of its industrialized dog meat farms around the country. This has resulted in harsh backlash, with many people from all over the world being outraged that the practice continues to this day. However, even though more Koreans are attempting to shift away from the consumption of dog meat, it seems that the tradition will linger on, and it will be years before the country will see a complete end to the trade.

Numerous actions have been taken against the dog meat trade by the young generation in Korea as they hope to end the tradition of eating dog meat. The change in views and attitude comes as no surprise because pet ownership in Korea has grown dramatically over the past few years. According to a research report by KB Financial Group, more than six million households, which is roughly equivalent to 30 percent of the country, had a companion animal in 2020, of which around 80 percent had dogs. Hence, public support for a ban on dog meat is rising as more people stand by the notion that dogs are humans’ best companions.

Showing Korea in a Bad Light

During the hottest days of summer, also known as Boknal, it is a common practice for Koreans to eat traditional “health foods” to supplement and boost their energy. While Samgyetang, also known as ginseng chicken soup, is one of the most popular choices Koreans go for, there also exists another peculiar dish. Boshintang, or “dog meat stew,” has a long tradition of boosting vitality. However, its popularity has decreased as it is highly controversial these days due to the divided views on the consumption of dog meat between different generations.

According to a survey conducted by Nielson Korea for the Humane Society International (HSI) Korea, 53.6 percent of Koreans in their 20s who have consumed dog meat in 2022 did so unwillingly, with some feeling the social pressure to do so from their elders, such as their fathers or even senior co-workers. Though it is deemed morally wrong by many people to consume dog meat, the laws do not ban it entirely. Lee Won Bok, chairman of the Korea Association for Animal Protection (KAAP), mentioned that currently the Food Sanitation Act prohibits making and selling non-livestock-based food, but the Animal Protection Act does not explicitly prohibit slaughtering dogs for food. Hence, it is a contradictory situation in which the consumption of dog meat is illegal as dog meat was removed from the list of livestock in 1978, but the dog meat trade remains legal.

It also affects the world’s views on Korea negatively when people discover that the dog meat trade continues to this day. One recent example is when 12 high school students’ three-week exchange visit to the United States (U.S.) was canceled last year. According to The Korea Times, U.S. animal rights activists repeatedly reported to the borough’s council about the illegal dog meat activities in the area where the Korean students were from. Therefore, the students of Ganghwa County, Incheon, were denied the opportunity to experience a different culture even though they were merely residing in the same area and not directly involved in the trade. Therefore, ending the dog meat trade seems vital in order to not be on the short end of the stick in global communities.

One Step at a Time

Recently, more effort has been put into freeing dogs from dog meat farms. As reported by The Korea Herald, around 200 pups were saved by HSI Korea rescue workers in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, on March 8. The farm is said to be the 18th dog meat farm to have joined HSI’s “Models for Change” program, by which it not only rescues dogs from impoverished environments all around the world, but also provides farm owners with other methods of earning a living. The dogs in farms are mostly native Korean dog breeds, namely Jindos and Dosas. Through the program, they will be sent to HSI’s rescue shelters in the U.S. and Canada, and eventually be up for adoption. Lee said that KAAP has also joined hands with other animal welfare organizations in their efforts of saving the dogs, and he hopes to raise awareness about the poor living conditions in dog meat farms.

However, simply rescuing them from the cramped environments in dog meat farms is not enough; more effort needs to be put in to resolve the root cause. It comes as no surprise that the South Korean government has also stepped up to push for significant improvements to the situation, as former President Moon Jae-in welcomed a rescue dog into the presidential Blue House in 2017, proceeded to voice support and ordered a review for a dog meat ban in 2021, and a task force was launched to evaluate the ban. Lee added on, commenting on how the Supreme Court of Korea ruled the electric stunning and slaughter of dogs in farms as a form of animal abuse in 2020. He remarked that the government should be stricter in enforcing the law and making sure no illegal sales are taking place to help curb the trade.

Furthermore, Chung Hwang-keun, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, vowed to work on ending the dog meat trade during his nomination process through achieving “social consensus.” According to Yonhap News Agency, he promised to “make efforts to achieve a grand compromise to end dog meat consumption by fully listening to and coordinating opinions of the industry and animal rights groups” as it is the only way to go since the number of families with pets are increasing.

Overall, the practice has been viewed as a national embarrassment ever since many foreign countries became aware of Korea’s infamous dog meat consumption during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Decrease in demand, pressures inflicted by activists, as well as negative public voices, all contribute to reasons why the government should not cease efforts in ending the dog meat trade. As there is a limitation to what individuals and non-profit organizations (NGOs) can do, the government should step in and push for improvements. The voices against the dog meat trade are small yet mighty storms in a teacup, and effective measures are needed to resolve the issues.