Dog meat consumption in South Korea facts for kids

Eating dog meat has been a small part of Korean history for a long time. It became more common among certain groups, especially those who were poor or lived in rural areas. Today, this practice is much less common in South Korea.

Over the past 30 years, fewer and fewer people in South Korea eat dog meat. This is mainly because the number of people who traditionally ate it has become very small. While some groups claim millions of dogs are eaten each year, actual numbers are much lower, likely in the tens of thousands. Even these numbers have dropped a lot recently.

Many big dog meat markets have closed down. For example, Moran Market, once the largest, shut down in 2018. Also, a major place where dogs were prepared for meat, called the Taepyeong-dong complex, was closed by the South Korean government in 2018. Surveys show that most Koreans (about 84%) have never eaten dog meat and don't plan to. In 2018, a court in South Korea even ruled that killing dogs for their meat was against the law.

A Look Back: History of Dog Meat in Korea

Eating dog meat has never been a main part of the Korean diet. There are signs of it from ancient times, like dog bones found in an old settlement and a painting from the 4th century CE showing a slaughtered dog.

During the Silla Dynasty (57 BCE – 935 CE) and Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392 CE), Buddhism was the main religion. Eating beef was not allowed because oxen were seen as helpful work animals. People generally tried to eat less meat, but seafood was still common.

Later in the Goryeo Dynasty, people from other groups, like the Khitans, came to Korea as refugees during the Mongol invasions. These groups brought the practice of eating dog meat. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910 CE), the Khitans became part of the "Baekjeong" class, who were butchers and were considered the lowest class. The Joseon government asked the Baekjeong to deal with stray dogs, and so dog meat became a food for the poor. Some officials at the time thought dogs were companions and wanted to ban eating them.

Around 1816, a scholar named Jeong Hak-yu wrote a poem that mentioned a woman bringing boiled dog meat to her parents, showing it was a practice in some farming areas. In 1849, a book called Dongguksesigi even included a recipe for a soup called Bosintang made with dog meat.

Traditionally, during the three hottest days of summer (called Sambok), Koreans often eat chicken soup. Some Koreans used to eat Bosintang, a soup with dog meat, but this is now very rare.

What's Happening Now: The Current Situation

The number of restaurants serving dog meat in Seoul has dropped a lot. In 2019, there were fewer than 100 such restaurants in the whole city. Many of these restaurants report that fewer customers are buying dog meat each year. A report from 2022 found that customers who still eat dog meat are mostly foreigners or elderly people over 70.

Between 2017 and 2019, all the major dog meat markets in South Korea closed down because not enough people were buying dog meat. In 2021, the last big market in Daegu also closed.

In November 2018, South Korea closed its main dog slaughterhouse in Seongnam. The city plans to turn the area into a community park.

Only a small number of people in South Korea (about 3.9%) still eat dog meat. This is similar to the rate in Switzerland. Most Korean Buddhists avoid eating any kind of meat or dairy.

While dog meat consumption has gone down, other problems have grown. There are many dogs from puppy mills and a growing number of dogs in shelters. Korean animal welfare groups and the government are working to help these abandoned dogs find homes.

Dogs Used for Meat

The main type of dog raised for meat is a local breed called Nureongi (누렁이) or Hwanggu (황구). However, other dog breeds, including former pets like Labradors, retrievers, and Cocker Spaniels, have also been found on dog meat farms.

Organizations like Humane Society International/Korea work with dog farmers to help them close their farms and find new homes for the dogs. Since 2015, they have closed many farms and rescued thousands of dogs of all breeds.

In the past, dogs were sometimes killed using methods like electrocution, hanging, or beating. However, these methods are now illegal under the 2007 Animal Protection Act and are much less common.

Legal Status of Dog Meat

Between 1975 and 1978, dogs were legally considered livestock in South Korea. However, the legal rules around dog meat are now very unclear.

The Animal Protection Act of 1991 does not directly ban killing dogs for food. But it does say that animals cannot be killed in a cruel way. It also forbids killing dogs in public places or in front of other animals of the same kind.

Dog meat is covered by the Food Sanitation Act, which defines food broadly. But unlike beef, pork, or poultry, dog meat is not on the list of livestock in the Livestock Processing Act. This means dog farming is not regulated as strictly as other animal farming.

In 2018, a court in Bucheon ruled that killing dogs for their meat was illegal. This was an important decision for animal rights groups. In September 2021, South Korean President Moon Jae-in even suggested that the country might ban dog meat consumption completely.

Types of Dishes

Bosintang

Gaegogi Jeongol

• Bosintang (보신탕) or Gaejangguk (개장국): A stew made with boiled dog meat and vegetables.
• Gaegogi Jeongol (개고기 전골): A more complex dog stew cooked in a large pan.
• Gae Suyuk (개 수육): Simply boiled dog meat.
• Gaegogi Muchim (개고기 무침): Steamed dog meat mixed with green onions and spices.
• Gaesoju (개소주): A mixed drink with dog meat and other traditional ingredients like ginger and jujube, believed to be good for health.

International Attention

Before the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, the South Korean government banned the sale of dog meat in central Seoul. Later, before the 2002 FIFA World Cup, groups like PETA asked the Korean government to address the issue. Some celebrities, like Brigitte Bardot, campaigned against dog meat, but her strong words were criticized by many.

In 2018, an Egyptian politician suggested exporting stray dogs to countries like South Korea for meat. This caused a lot of anger among animal rights groups in Egypt, and no such plans were ever made. It's important to remember that by this time, major dog meat markets in South Korea were already closing due to low demand.

Korean people living abroad and Asian American children have sometimes faced unfair treatment and racism because of the stereotype that Koreans eat dog meat. This happens even though eating dog meat is not common in Korea. For example, in 2021, a famous soccer player named Park Ji-Sung asked fans to stop singing a song about him that included this stereotype.

For many years, TV host Jay Leno made jokes about Koreans eating dog meat, which led to a lawsuit from Korean Americans. He finally apologized in 2021 for these jokes.

Some Koreans and others around the world point out that the countries criticizing dog meat consumption often eat a lot more meat overall, especially from animals raised in large factory farms. They see this as a bit unfair or "hypocritical."