South Korea has banned the sale of dog meat despite protests from older generations

Dog meat stew, called “boshintang”, is considered a delicacy among some older South Koreans. But it’s a dish that will become more difficult to taste in that Asian country in a few years.

The killing and sale of dogs for meat consumption will be illegal in South Korea after lawmakers on Tuesday backed a new law seeking to end the centuries-old practice.

With the new law Will come into effect in 2027 The consumption of dog meat will not be illegal, but the marketing of it will be.

According to a Gallup poll last year, only 8% of people said they had eaten dog meat in the past 12 months, down from 27% in 2015. While just under a fifth of respondents said they support eating dog meat. .

And “Boshintang” is not very popular among the new generations.

Lee Cha-yeon, a 22-year-old student, thinks the ban was necessary Promote animal rights. “Nowadays there are more people who have pets,” he told the BBC in Seoul. “Dogs are like family now and it’s not fair to eat our family.”

The new law focuses on Dog meat trade.

People who are guilty of killing dogs will be dealt with Imprisonment up to three yearsWhile people who breed dogs to sell as dog meat can serve Maximum two years.

Farmers and restaurant owners have Three years to find alternative sources of employment and income Before the new rule came into effect.

According to official figures, South Korea had 1,600 dog meat restaurants and 1,150 breeding farms that must now submit plans to local authorities for the progressive closure of their businesses.

The government has pledged full support to dog meat farmers, butchers and restaurant owners whose businesses will be forced to close, although details of the compensation that will be offered have not yet been finalised.

On a Tuesday afternoon in Seoul, on a street lined with many dog ​​meat restaurants, a handful of elderly people were tasting dog stew. The generational division is very marked on this point.

Kim Seon-ho, 86, was disappointed by the ban. “We have been eating this since the Middle Ages. Why stop us from eating our traditional foods? “If they ban dog meat, they should ban cow meat.”

Since the 1980s, various governments have committed to Ban on dog meat They failed to advance.

Current President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are known animal lovers, in fact, they own six dogs. Kim has called on several occasions to end the practice.

This Animal rights defendersThose who have been pushing for a ban for some time, celebrated the result of Tuesday’s vote.

Jung Ah Cha, executive director of the Korea Humane Society, said she did not expect to see the ban in her lifetime.

“While my heart breaks for the millions of dogs for whom this change is too late, I am glad that South Korea can stop this. A sad chapter in our history And embrace a dog-friendly future,” he said.

Dog meat was made by farmers Anti-ban campaign.

They argue that, given its declining popularity among young people, the practice should be allowed to die out naturally over time.

Many breeders and restaurant owners are elderly and say it will be difficult to change their livelihood at such an advanced age.

Dog breeder Joo Yeong-bong told the BBC the industry was desperate.

“In 10 years, the The field will disappear. “We are between 60 and 70 years old and now we have no choice but to lose our livelihood,” said Yeong-bong, who sees the law as a “violation of people’s freedom to eat whatever they want”.

Kim, a dog meat restaurant owner in her 60s, told the BBC she felt Frustrated by the ban. The woman says the decision is in response to the increase in the number of pet owners in South Korea.

“Young people today don’t get married, so they treat pets like family, but food is food. We should accept dog meat,

But raise and slaughter them in a clean environment,” Kim said. “Other countries like China and Vietnam eat dogs, so why are we banning them?”

Remember that you can receive notifications from BBC News Mundo. Download the latest version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss our best content.