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The canine bark and stare as Kim Jong-kil approaches the rusty cages housing the massive, short-haired animals he sells for his or her meat. Kim opens a door and pets one canine’s neck and chest.
Kim says he’s pleased with the canine meat farm that has supported his household for 27 years, however is upset over rising makes an attempt by politicians and activists to outlaw the enterprise, which he’s turning over to his youngsters.
“It’s extra than simply feeling unhealthy. I completely oppose these strikes, and we’ll mobilize all our means to withstand it,” Kim, 57, mentioned in an interview at his farm in Pyeongtaek metropolis, simply south of Seoul.
Canine meat consumption is a centuries-old follow on the Korean Peninsula and has lengthy been seen as a supply of stamina on sizzling summer season days. It is neither explicitly banned nor legalized in South Korea, however increasingly more folks need it prohibited. There’s growing public consciousness of animal rights and worries about South Korea’s worldwide picture.
The anti-dog meat marketing campaign lately acquired a giant enhance when the nation’s first girl expressed her assist for a ban and two lawmakers submitted payments to remove the canine meat commerce.
“Foreigners assume South Korea is a cultural powerhouse. However the extra Okay-culture will increase its worldwide standing, the larger shock foreigners expertise over our canine meat consumption,” mentioned Han Jeoungae, an opposition lawmaker who submitted laws to outlaw the canine meat business final month.
Prospects for passage of an anti-dog meat regulation are unclear due to protests by farmers, restaurant house owners and others concerned within the canine meat business. Surveys counsel that one in three South Koreans opposes such a ban, although most individuals don’t eat canine meat anymore.
Canines are additionally eaten in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, North Korea and a few African international locations, together with Ghana, Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria.
Earlier this month, Indonesian authorities introduced the top of canine and cat slaughter at an animal market on the island of Sulawesi following a yearslong marketing campaign by native activists and world celebrities. The Tomohon Excessive Market will turn out to be the primary such market in Indonesia to go canine and cat meat-free, in keeping with the anti-animal cruelty group Humane Society Worldwide.
South Korea’s canine meat business receives extra worldwide consideration due to its fame as a rich, ultra-modern democracy. It is usually the one nation with industrial-scale farms. Most farms in South Korea have greater than 500 canine, in keeping with a canine farmers’ affiliation.
Throughout a latest go to, Kim’s farm, one of many nation’s largest with 7,000 canine, appeared comparatively clear however there was a powerful stench in some areas. All canine are saved in elevated cages and are fed with meals waste and floor rooster. They’re hardly ever launched for train and sometimes are offered for meat one yr after they’re born.
Kim mentioned two of his youngsters, age 29 and 31, are operating the farm with him, and that enterprise has been going fairly nicely. He mentioned the canine bred for his or her meat are totally different from pets, an thought opposed by activists.
It is tough now to seek out canine meat eating places in Seoul’s bustling downtown, although many nonetheless exit within the countryside.
“I solely earn one-third of the cash I used to make. Younger folks don’t come right here. Solely ailing outdated folks come for lunch,” mentioned Yoon Chu-wol, 77, the proprietor of a canine meat restaurant in Seoul’s Kyungdong conventional market. “I inform my aged clients to return and eat my meals extra often earlier than it’s banned.”
Farmers additionally face rising scrutiny from officers and more and more adverse public opinion. They complain that officers go to them repeatedly in response to complaints filed by activists and residents over alleged animal abuse and different wrongdoing. Kim mentioned greater than 90 such petitions have been filed towards his farm throughout a latest four-month span.
Son Received Hak, basic secretary of the canine farmers’ affiliation, mentioned many farms have collapsed lately due to falling canine meat costs and weaker demand. He thinks that is a results of activist campaigns and unfair media stories specializing in farms with inferior circumstances. Some observers, nevertheless, say consumption of canine meat was already declining, with youthful folks staying away from it.
“Fairly truthfully, I would prefer to stop my job tomorrow. We are able to’t confidently inform our kids that we’re elevating canine,” Son mentioned. “When my mates known as me, they mentioned ‘Hey, are you continue to operating a canine meat farm? Isn’t it unlawful?’”The variety of farms throughout South Korea has dropped by half from just a few years in the past to about 3,000 to 4,000, and about 700,000 to 1 million canine are slaughtered every year, a decline from a number of million 10 to twenty years in the past, in keeping with the canine farmers’ affiliation. Some activists argue that the farmers’ estimates are an exaggeration meant to indicate their business is just too huge to destroy.
In late 2021, South Korea launched a government-civilian activity drive to think about outlawing canine meat on the suggestion of then-President Moon Jae-in, a pet lover. The committee, whose members embrace farmers and animal rights activists, has met greater than 20 instances however hasn’t reached any settlement, apparently due to disputes over compensation points.
Agriculture officers refused to reveal the discussions within the closed-door conferences. They mentioned the federal government needs to finish canine meat consumption based mostly on a public consensus.
In April, first girl Kim Keon Hee, the spouse of present President Yoon Suk Yeol, mentioned in a gathering with activists that she hopes for an finish to canine meat consumption. Famers responded with rallies and formal complaints towards Kim for allegedly hurting their livelihoods.
Han, the lawmaker, mentioned she “extremely positively appraises” influential figures talking out towards canine meat consumption.
Han mentioned her invoice provides assist packages for farmers who agree to shut their farms. They’d be entitled to cash to dismantle their services, vocational coaching, employment help and different advantages, she mentioned.
Ju Yeongbong, an official of the farmers’ affiliation, mentioned farmers wish to proceed for about 20 extra years till older folks, their foremost clients, die, permitting the business to naturally disappear. Observers say most farmers are additionally of their 60s to 70s.
Borami Search engine optimisation, a director of the South Korea workplace of the Humane Society Worldwide, mentioned she opposes the continued killing of hundreds of thousands of canine for such a chronic interval. “Letting this silent cruelty to (canine) be dedicated in South Korea doesn’t make sense,” Search engine optimisation mentioned.
“(Canine meat consumption) is just too anachronistic, has parts of cruelty to animals and hinders our nationwide development,” mentioned Cheon JinKyung, head of Korea Animal Rights Advocates in Seoul.
