South Korea’s parliament on Tuesday passed a bill to ban the eating and selling of dog meat. The bill aims to end the controversial centuries-old practice amid growing support for animal welfare. The bill was passed by an overwhelming 208 votes.
According to the bill, the breeding and slaughtering of dogs to produce meat for human consumption will be punishable by up to three years imprisonment while people found guilty of raising dogs for selling dog meat could serve a maximum of two years. The legislation will take effect by 2027.
Eating dog meat was once seen as a way to improve stamina in the humid Korean summer.
However, pet ownership has also climbed over the years. One in four Korean households owned a pet dog in 2022, up from 16% in 2010, government data shows.