SOKOR PASSES BILL BANNING DOG MEAT

THE  South Korean Parliament on Tuesday passed a bill  to ban  the selling and eating of dog meat by 2027.

The move will end the controversial centuries-old practice amid growing support for animal welfare.

A total of 208 votes were in favor and two abstained for the measure, which bans the breeding, butchering, distributing and selling of dogs for meat.

Law enforcement will begin in 2027.

Violators could face a maximum two years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won (USD22,768).

The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party had jointly pushed for the ban, as dog meat is said to have fallen out of favor with diners over the past few decades.

Eating dog meat was once seen as a way to improve stamina in the humid Korean summer.

The practice has become rare as more Koreans consider dogs as family pets and as criticism of how the dogs are slaughtered has grown.

Support for the ban has grown under President Yoon Suk Yeol, an animal lover who owns six dogs and eight cats.

First lady Kim Keon Hee is also a vocal critic of dog meat consumption.

Government data shows one in four Korean households owned a pet dog in 2022, up from 16% in 2010.

Around 56% of Koreans backed the ban, according to polls.