HWASEONG: As South Korea moves to ban eating dog meat, many of those involved in the centuries-old controversial practice are fighting to keep it legal.
The farmers who breed the dogs, and the owners of eateries that serve the meat, have held protests in front of parliament to demand the government and ruling People Power Party scrap plans to pass a bill this year to enforce a ban.
They say banning dog meat would decimate their livelihoods, and also limit the options available to diners by taking off the menu a dish that in the Korean peninsula has traditionally been consumed to beat the summer heat, but which today is only eaten by some older people.
"If I have to close down, with the financial condition I'm in, there really is no answer to what I can do," said Lee Kyeong-sig, who runs a farm outside Seoul raising up to 1,100 dogs. "I've been in this for 12 years and it is so sudden."
A Gallup Korea poll last year showed almost two-thirds of respondents opposed eating dog meat, with only 8% saying they had eaten dog within the past year, down from 27% in 2015.
Despite its declining popularity and opposition from animal rights activists, previous attempts to ban dog meat have failed because of industry protests.
This time, the government has said the proposed ban would give the industry a three-year grace period to transition out of the trade, as well as provide the maximum possible financial support for those affected.
With the backing of the public, and bipartisan support in parliament, there are signs that the ban could soon become law.
TIME FOR CHANGE
The agriculture ministry declined to give details about the size of the industry, but the Korean Association of Edible Dogs, says far more farms and restaurants than those cited by the government will be affected.
The association said 3,500 farms raising 1.5 million dogs and 3,000 restaurants will have to shut down, almost twice the numbers stated by officials.
Nam Sung-gue who has run a restaurant selling dog meat boshintang, or "restoring" soup, for the past 30 years, said the ban was unfair, even though his business is fast declining.
"If they try to ban the food that people have eaten for a long time, that is a wrong kind of law, a law that takes away the freedom to choose what we eat," he said.
Many opponents of the ban blame it on First Lady Kim Keon Hee, a vocal critic of dog meat consumption who along with her husband President Yoon Suk Yeol has six dogs.
Asked about Kim's influence, an official at the president's office said: "Both in the country and abroad there is support and consensus, as well as from the opposition party."
An Byung-gil, member of parliament for the ruling party who is the main sponsor of the bill, also said the time was ripe for change. "Even though something may be part of tradition, what needs to be changed has to be changed," he said.
Reuters
Fri Nov 24 2023
Dogs are pictured in cages at a dog meat farm in Wonju, South Korea, January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File photo
Tidak layak beraksi di UCL, Ten Hag dan pemain berdepan potongan gaji
Rancangan Man United untuk mengurangkan gaji pemain boleh menghalang peluang mereka untuk mengekalkan kapten pasukan Bruno Fernandes.
Sembunyi bawah katil elak ditahan Imigresen
Wanita itu antara 23 warga asing yang diberkas dalam operasi oleh Imigresen Perak bermula 11.50 malam hingga 2.30 pagi tadi.
Lima cedera, nahas empat kenderaan di LPT1
Kemalangan melibatkan kereta jenis Proton Saga, Honda City, Perodua Alza dan sebuah motosikal.
Alamak! Arsenal kempunan lagi!
Arsenal di bawah kendalian Mikel Arteta telah beraksi cemerlang sepanjang musim tetapi terpaksa menelan hempedu di penghujung jalan.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Dron Turki mungkin kesan tapak nahas helikopter
Dron berkenaan mengesan satu kawasan di Wilayah Azerbaijan Timur yang mengeluarkan haba.
Niaga AWANI: Perspektif Pelaburan: Dari angka KDNK ke angka pasaran
Lanskap ekonomi Malaysia dalam suku pertama tahun 2024 telah ditandai dengan prestasi yang kukuh, melebihi jangkaan dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi sebanyak 4.2%. Bagaimana data ekonomi ini dapat diterjemahkan dan digunakan dalam pasaran modal?
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Data & Statistik: 4.2% KDNK suku pertama 2024, melebihi sasaran
Bank Negara Malaysia memaklumkan, semua sektor ekonomi berkembang positif dengan Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasar Malaysia disumbang terutamanya oleh sektor perkhidmatan (59.3%), pembuatan (23.1%) dan pembinaan (3.9%).
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Hala tuju baharu tiga agensi Bumiputera kementerian ekonomi
Tiga agensi mandat Bumiputera di bawah Kementerian Ekonomi iaitu Yayasan Peneraju, TERAJU dan Ekuinas akan mengumumkan program-program khusus yang dibuka kepada bakat-bakat niagawan Bumiputera untuk mencapai anjakan sekali gus menskalakan agenda penciptaan nilai Bumiputera ini.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Dron Turki mungkin kesan tapak nahas helikopter, 73 pasukan SAR dikerah
Persatuan Bulan Sabit Merah Iran memaklumkan, tapak nahas berkenaan dikesan dron milik Turki.
Niaga AWANI: Sentimen pengguna lemah, reformasi ekonomi perlu lebih strategik?
Apakah impikasi jangka panjang sekiranya sentimen atau keyakinan pengguna terus melemah dan apakah langkah reformasi yang perlu dilakukan? Kupasan bersama Ketua Ekonomi, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd, Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Korea Selatan mulakan liga bola lisut secara tertutup
Liga KBO memulakan musim dengan perlawanan antara SK Wyverns dan Hanwha Eagles yang dijalankan secara tertutup di Incheon.
Doan dipenjara tiga tahun empat bulan, cederakan Kim Chol
Bernasib baik kerana pendakwaan menawarkan pertuduhan alternatif yang hanya membawa hukuman penjara 10 tahun berbanding pertuduhan asal iaitu membunuh yang memperuntukkan hukuman mati mandatori.
MMA: ONE Championship announces 2019 calendar, expands fight to Tokyo
ONE Championship has just revealed its calendar for 2019, including its first live event in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for 31 March 2019.
South Korean Customs looking into Korean Air 'nut rage' family
South Korea's Customs is looking into accusations that the family helming Korean Air did not pay customs duties on luxury goods brought into the country.
Kim Jong-un invites South Korean president for summit - South Korea
The invitation sets the stage for the first meeting of Korean leaders in more than 10 years.
Pembunuhan Jong Nam: Polis serah Ri Jong Chol kepada imigresen esok
Lelaki warga Korea Utara yang ditahan polis berhubung kes pembunuhan seorang rakyat negara itu pada 13 Feb lepas, akan diserah kepada Jabatan Imigresen esok.
Korean Air tolak dakwaan 'kru tidak terlatih' oleh penyanyi Richard Marx
Syarikat penerbangan ternama Korea Selatan, Korean Air berkata bahawa anak-anak kapalnya mengikut prosedur syarikat dalam mengawal penumpang selepas bintang 80-an Richard Marx memuat naik status.