South Koreans threaten to release two million dogs into the capital

Dog breeders in South Korea threaten to release two million dogs near government offices in Seoul to protest plans to ban dog meat from 2027.

"Eating dog meat cannot be considered a crime like drug trafficking or prostitution. No one has ever eaten dog meat that harmed others," Joo Young-bong, head of the Korean Dog Breeding Association, said in an interview on November 21.

According to Mr. Joo, dog breeders in South Korea are very angry about the bill to ban dog meat in this country. "We can release two million dogs that we are raising near the presidential office, the residence of the agriculture minister and the offices of the lawmakers who proposed the bill," Joo said.

The Dog Breeders Association previously asked the government to classify dogs as "livestock", but was unsuccessful.

A breeder feeds dogs at a farm in Hwaseong, South Korea, November 21. Photo: Reuters — A breeder feeds dogs at a farm in Hwaseong, South Korea, November 21. Photo: *Reuters*

Eating dog meat is a long-standing custom on the Korean peninsula, but a growing number of South Koreans want the government to ban dog meat, due to growing concerns about animal rights and concerns about the country's image.

South Korean First Lady Kim Keon-hee has also publicly supported a ban on all forms of dog meat consumption. She and her husband, President Yoon Suk-yeol, have adopted several stray dogs.

According to data from the South Korean government, the country currently has about 1,150 dog farms, 34 slaughterhouses, 219 distribution units and nearly 1,600 restaurants selling food made from dog meat.

A survey in South Korea last year found that 64% of respondents opposed dog meat consumption. Only 8% of respondents had eaten dog meat in the previous year, down from 27% in 2015.