South Korea offers to compensate dog meat farmers ahead of 2027 ban

Dogs are seen in cages at a dog farm in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on July 27, 2023. AP FILE PHOTO

SEOUL—South Korea will compensate dog farmers to help them relocate almost 500,000 dogs bred for consumption and close their businesses before a 2027 dog meat ban, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday.

Dog meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine and up to a million dogs were once killed for the trade every year, according to activists. However, consumption has declined sharply in recent years as Koreans embraced pet ownership.

South Korea’s parliament passed a landmark bill in January banning the breeding, slaughter and selling of dogs for their meat.

The agriculture ministry said on Thursday farmers would be eligible for compensation ranging from 225,000 won ($169) to 600,000 won for each dog if they agreed to shut their operations before the 2027 ban.

Adoption urged

“To proactively reduce the current population of around 466,000 dogs (bred for food), we plan to encourage farmers to voluntarily limit breeding,” the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

The government has tentatively allocated about 100 billion won ($75.2 million) to help 5,898 dog farms, slaughterhouses, restaurants, distribution companies and others close their operations, Vice Agriculture Minister Park Beom-su said.

The government would also encourage the adoption of many of the dogs or their placement in safe shelters to avoid having them put down or processed for consumption before the ban.

Low-interest loans will also be offered to farmers and butchers to help them move to other agricultural ventures, as well as subsidies for retail and food service business owners.

Farmers assert freedom

Dog farmers said the ban infringed on their freedoms and that the compensation package was not enough to alleviate economic hardship.

“We … cannot close our businesses for such a small amount,” a group of dog farmers said in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Under the new law, breeding, selling and slaughtering dogs for their meat will be punishable by up to three years in prison or fines of up to 30 million won ($22,578).

Support for the ban has grown under President Yoon Suk Yeol, an animal lover who has more than 10 pets, and first lady Kim Keon-hee, a vocal critic of dog meat consumption.