The South Korean parliament passed a new law banning the raising, sale, and consumption of dog meat starting in 2027.
Korea has 1,150 dog farms, with an estimated population of two million dogs. Over a thousand restaurants specializing in dog meat will have to transition to a new menu. According to a poll by Nielson Korea, fifty-seven percent of Koreans say they support the ban.
For the past few years, there has been intense media focus on overcrowded and unsanitary conditions at these farms, leading to a considerable drop in dog meat consumption.
However, it will still be 100% legal to eat cats and raise/sell cats as food. An estimated 100,000 cats are eaten annually in South Korea. Cat meat is traditionally considered a folk remedy for several ailments.
Both dog meat and cat meat are most commonly consumed as a soup in South Korea.
