{"id":25899,"date":"2023-11-18T15:52:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-18T15:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/south-korea-to-ban-eating-dogs-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-11-18T15:52:02","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T15:52:02","slug":"south-korea-to-ban-eating-dogs-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/south-korea-to-ban-eating-dogs-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea to ban eating dogs | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nSEOUL:
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South Korea aims to ban eating dog meat and put an end to the controversy over the ancient custom amid growing awareness of animal rights, a ruling party policy chief said on Friday.<\/p>\n

The Korean practice of eating dog has drawn criticism from overseas for its cruelty but there has also been increasing opposition at home, particularly from the younger generation.<\/p>\n

“It is time to put an end to social conflicts and controversies around dog meat consumption through the enactment of a special act to end it,” Yu Eui-dong, policy chief of the ruling People Power Party, said at a meeting with government officials and animal rights activists.<\/p>\n

The government and ruling party would introduce a bill this year to enforce a ban, Yu said, adding that with expected bipartisan support, the bill should sail through parliament.<\/p>\n

Agriculture Minister Chung Hwang-keun told the meeting the government would implement a ban quickly and provide the maximum possible support for those in the dog meat industry to close their businesses.<\/p>\n

First lady Kim Keon Hee has been a vocal critic of dog meat consumption and, along with her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, has adopted stray dogs.<\/p>\n

Anti-dog meat bills have failed in the past because of protests by those involved in the industry, and worry about the livelihoods of farmers and restaurant owners.<\/p>\n

Read:\u00a0<\/strong>Animal rights curriculum<\/a><\/p>\n

The proposed ban will include a three-year grace period and financial support for businesses to transition out of the trade.<\/p>\n

Eating dog meat has been an age-old practice on the Korean peninsula and is seen as a way to beat the summer heat.<\/p>\n

But it is much less common than it used to be in South Korea, though it is still eaten by some older people and served in certain restaurants.<\/p>\n

Animal rights groups welcomed the prospect of a ban. “A dream come true for all of us who have campaigned so hard to end this cruelty,” Humane Society International said in a statement.<\/p>\n

There are about dog 1,150 breeding farms, 34 slaughter houses, 219 distribution companies, and some 1,600 restaurants serving dog, according to government data.<\/p>\n

A Gallup Korea poll last year showed 64% opposed dog meat consumption. The survey found only 8% of respondents had eaten dog within the past year, down from 27% in 2015.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n