Dog Meat Farmers’ Association Likens Dog Eating Ban to Actions of Kim Jong Un and Hitler

As the so-called “Dog Eating Ban Law” passed the plenary session of the National Assembly, the president of the Dog Meat Association expressed strong opposition to the bill’s passage.

Joo Young Bong, head of the Korean Dog Meat Association, appeared on SBS Radio’s Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show on the 10th and described the passage of the dog-eating ban law as a “political coup that robs the basic rights of the people and the jobs, property rights, and survival rights of practitioners, something not even North Korea’s Kim Jong Un or Adolf Hitler would do.” He shared the industry’s reaction after the law was passed.

Joo Young Bong continued, “There is no historical precedent for successfully banning people from consuming specific foods. No incidents or health problems have been linked to dog meat consumption; however, some have reported improved health and well-being after including it in their diet.” He emphasized, “Even today, individuals undergoing cancer treatment or surgery, particularly the elderly, use it as a health supplement.”

He added, “I understand that the number of people consuming dog meat is declining. However, it’s irrational to prohibit those who choose to do so by law. Our country already grapples with the world’s lowest birth rate and teeters on the brink of population decline. It feels as if we’ve become a ‘Dog Republic.'”

Joo also shared, “While watching the live broadcast of the National Assembly, a young man called and said, ‘I’ve enjoyed dog meat since I was young, and it’s helped me regain my health. Now I can’t have it anymore?’ He was in tears. There is a significant backlash, and everyone is calling it ‘crazy.'”

Additionally, Joo issued a warning, saying, “We will do everything in our power. We will also initiate a dog return movement. If this situation continues, where we are pushed without compensation, it will be seen as a ‘release the dogs’ scenario. After about six months, there will undoubtedly be instances where practitioners are driven to make extreme choices.”

On the 9th, the National Assembly convened a plenary session and passed the Special Law on the Termination of Breeding, Slaughter, and Distribution of Dogs for Eating Purposes.

This special law imposes penalties of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won (approximately $25,000) for those who slaughter dogs for consumption. It also includes provisions for individuals who breed, reproduce, or distribute dogs for eating purposes, with penalties of up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won (approximately $17,000).

However, the penalties for violating the ban on breeding, slaughter, and distribution have a three-year probation period, and the bill also includes a clause obliging the government to provide support measures for the livelihoods of practitioners following the termination of dog eating.

The Dog Meat Association has strongly opposed introducing this law, including staging a protest in front of the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on November 30th last year, threatening to “release 2 million dogs in Yongsan” if the special law is enacted.

By. Kim Dong Hyun