South Korea's President Suggests It Might Finally Be Time To Ban Eating Dog Meat

South Korea's President has hinted the country might soon ban the eating of dog meat.

Moon Jae-in has questioned whether it's time to end the centuries-old traditional practice and has signalled to the country's Prime Minister, Kim Boo-kyum that the country's laws might need to change.

Around one million dogs are eaten in South Korea annually despite year-long outrage from animal activists.

Dog meat consumption is on the downward trend as attitudes slowly change amongst the masses, however it will only take an outright ban for the practice to end altogether.

According to a presidential spokesperson, Moon asked the Prime Minister: "Hasn't the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?"

The dog lover President made the comments as he was being informed about how to fix the care system for abandoned pets.

Animal welfare organisations have consistently criticised South Korea for not doing more to outlaw the consumption of meat.

The country did institute a crackdown on dog farms and restaurants ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, however their animal protection laws only prevent the 'cruel' slaughter of animals.

Three years ago, South Korea's largest dog meat slaughterhouse was shut down an transformed into a park.

The Taepyeong-dong complex in Seongnam city - which was south of Seoul - was home to at least six slaughterhouses, which could have held at least several hundred animals at any given time.

Dogs would be electrocuted before being butchered for meat, according to US campaign group Humane Society International.

When they visited the slaughterhouse - which was a major provider for dog meat restaurants across South Korea - activists had found electrocution equipment, along with the bodies of dead dogs, blood-stained knives and a 'de-hairing machine'.

The closure of the site was hailed as a 'landmark' and 'historic' moment by animal lovers, with hopes that other slaughterhouses in the country might soon follow suit.

Featured Image Credit: Yonhap/Newcom/Alamy Live News

Topics: News, Animals

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie