Approximately 7,600 dogs are still housed on South Korean meat farms, nearly three years after the country enacted a nationwide ban on the consumption of dog meat. Animal-rights organizations are actively working to rescue these animals before they are slaughtered.
When Seoul passed the ban, which followed sustained domestic and international pressure, an estimated 468,000 canines were held on 1,537 dog meat farms, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Currently, 198 such farms remain in operation. The government has committed to a complete cessation of the industry by the mandated deadline of February 7, 2027.
The Ministry of Agriculture stated that the end of dog meat consumption signifies a critical advancement in the nation's animal welfare standards. The government is encouraging the remaining farms to cease operations voluntarily before the ban takes effect, with inspections scheduled for the final two months of this year. Farms found to be secretly increasing their dog populations or allowing breeding will face immediate closure.
Upon the ban's enforcement, individuals involved in farming, slaughtering, or selling dog meat for consumption will be subject to up to two years in prison and fines exceeding $20,000.
Officials have indicated that provisions must be made for the approximately 7,600 dogs remaining on farms after the ban. Local municipalities are being asked to assist in their care. Lee Yong-jik, director general of the ministry’s Animal Welfare Policy Bureau, assured that the ministry would monitor the closure process closely and prepare for the welfare of the remaining dogs.
Animal rights groups have been instrumental in rescuing dogs from these closing facilities. In September, the organization Humane World for Animals reported rescuing over 70 dogs from a meat farm in Gangjin, described as potentially their final large-scale rescue in South Korea. Sangkyung Lee, the group's Korea campaign manager, expressed that rehoming these dogs in the United States and Canada marks a fitting conclusion to their decade-long mission as South Korea shifts its relationship with dogs towards companionship rather than consumption.