South Korea to ban divisive apply of consuming canine meat, ruling get together says

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South Korea is planning to introduce a ban on canine meat, the nation’s ruling political get together stated on Friday, placing an finish to an issue over the traditional customized that has divided generations.

Consuming canine meat is neither banned nor explicitly legalised in South Korea. Consumption has dwindled within the nation over time because of criticism from animal rights teams and the youthful technology’s dying urge for food for the meat.

“It’s time to put an finish to social conflicts and controversies round canine meat consumption by the enactment of a particular act to finish it,” Yu Eui-dong, coverage chief of the ruling Folks Energy Celebration, stated at a gathering with authorities officers and animal rights activists on Friday.

He stated the federal government would introduce a invoice to enact the ban earlier than the tip of this yr, and that it will be anticipated to sail by the parliament.

The invoice, if handed this winter, will enable a three-year grace interval to part out the trade, which might successfully finish the consumption of the animals by 2027.

“We are going to present full assist to farmers, butchers and different companies going through closure or transition because of this regulation,” Mr Yu stated.

He added that compensation can be supplied solely to legally registered canine meat farmers, merchants, slaughterers and restaurant house owners.

South Korean animal rights activists maintain likenesses of useless canines throughout a protest in opposition to the canine meat commerce

(AFP/Getty Photographs)

Agriculture minister Chung Hwang-keun instructed the assembly that the federal government would implement a ban shortly.

Practically a million canines are “farmed and killed for human consumption” in a yr, in line with Humane Society Worldwide.

“With so many canines needlessly struggling for a meat that hardly anybody eats, the federal government’s invoice delivers a daring plan that should now urgently be handed by the Meeting so {that a} legislative ban might be agreed as quickly as doable to assist South Korea shut this depressing chapter in our historical past and embrace a dog-friendly future,” JungAh Chae, govt director of Humane Society Worldwide, stated in an announcement following the assembly.

Anti-dog meat payments have failed previously due to protests by these concerned within the trade, and worries concerning the livelihoods of farmers and restaurant house owners.

Consuming canine meat has been an age-old apply on the Korean peninsula and was historically seen as a strategy to beat the summer time warmth in the course of the Bok Nal season between July and August. Whereas the youthful technology has largely rejected the apply, it nonetheless holds significance among the many older technology and is served in eating places.

A ballot performed in 2020 discovered that 84 per cent of South Koreans have by no means consumed canine meat and 59 per cent of residents assist banning consumption.

South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol and first girl Kim Keon Hee are often called animal lovers and have adopted stray canines. The primary girl has been a vocal critic of canine meat consumption.

There are about 1,150 canine breeding farms, 34 slaughter homes, 219 distribution firms, and a few 1,600 eating places serving canine, in line with authorities knowledge.

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