'Hasn’t the time come': South Korean president wants to ban dog meat consumption

Isa Peralta
·2 min read

South Korea may move to ban the consumption of dog meat after Moon Jae-in, the country's president, publicly raised concerns over the traditional but increasingly uncommon practice.

A decline in canine consumption: Eating dog meat, which has become an infamous custom, could eventually be phased out, according to The Guardian.

  • South Koreans eat around 1 million dogs per year.

  • This amount, however, has been decreasing over time, especially since more members of animal rights groups and younger generations are pushing for the practice to stop. According to a poll, 84% of South Koreans have never eaten dog meat, and 59% supported banning the tradition.

  • More people are also starting to see dogs as friendly companions instead of as a provider of meat.

  • The current animal protection law in South Korea does not ban canine consumption; rather, it focuses on preventing “the cruel slaughter of dogs and cats.”


A man’s best friend: During a recent meeting with South Korean prime minister Kim Boo-kyum, Moon reportedly spoke for the first time about whether it was time to consider a potential ban on canine consumption, the BBC reported.

  • Moon asked the prime minister, according to the presidential spokesperson, "Hasn't the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?"

  • Moon is known for being a dog lover. He has a dog named Tory who he adopted from an animal sanctuary in 2017.

  • Tory became South Korea’s “First Dog” and a symbol of Moon’s support for animal rights.



  • The South Korean president is also the owner of several other dogs who live in the president's home in Seoul.

  • During his presidential election campaign, Moon promised to have more feeding facilities built for stray cats, as well as playgrounds for pets.

  • Banning the consumption of dog meat is a discussion that is speculated to continue as the nation’s next presidential election takes place in 2022, with many candidates already expressing their want to ban the practice.


Featured Image via On Demand News (left), Friday Chopsticks (right)

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