World Dog Alliance: South Korea on Track to Enact Dog Meat Ban Legislation by the End of This Year
SEOUL, South Korea, November 16, 2023 (Newswire.com) - The World Dog Alliance (WDA) is pleased to announce a significant milestone in the fight against the dog meat trade in South Korea. Following a bipartisan letter from members of the U.S. Congress, sent to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Aug. 7, 2023, urging the country to ban the consumption of dog meat, South Korea is making substantial progress towards enacting legislation to ban this barbaric practice.
Within just one month of the U.S. congressional letter, South Korean First Lady Kim Keon-hee attended a press conference organized by local animal welfare organizations, publicly endorsing legislation to ban dog meat consumption. This endorsement underscores the proactive steps being taken by the South Korean government to expedite the legislative process. Bills to ban dog meat consumption have received broad support from both the ruling and opposition parties. It is anticipated that this legislation will be passed in early December this year.
Since 2014, the World Dog Alliance has been actively involved in global efforts to protect the rights of dogs. Our work in South Korea, a nation where the dog meat industry has been prevalent, has been particularly noteworthy. In 2014, the WDA’s founder Genlin traveled to South Korea to film a documentary titled “Eating Happiness,” shedding light on the grim reality of the dog meat trade and urging global attention to the issue.
In 2016, the World Dog Alliance launched an online petition on the UK Parliament website, calling on the UK to exert diplomatic pressure on the South Korean Government to stop dog meat consumption, especially in light of the 2018 Winter Olympics. The campaign garnered over 100,000 signatures from UK citizens. This significant public outcry raised awareness about the issue and played a pivotal role in shutting down Moran market, the biggest dog meat market in South Korea, marking crucial progress in the effort to abolish the dog meat trade.
In 2017, the WDA organized a symposium in the South Korean parliament titled "Explicit Legislation to Ban Dog Meat," inviting South Korean lawmakers to discuss the formulation of laws to prohibit the dog meat trade.
In 2018, the WDA hosted a large-scale event at Seoul City Hall with the theme "I Am Not Food," aimed at raising awareness about the issue of dog meat. At this event, Tory, the beloved dog of then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in, made a special appearance. Genlin's letter, appealing for the end of the dog meat industry, was personally delivered to President Moon, catalyzing the subsequent government actions.
The World Dog Alliance commends the South Korean government for taking action to address the dog meat issue, a move that significantly enhances the country’s international image.
Source: World Dog Alliance
