About 200 South Korean dog meat producers held a protest outside the presidential office in Seoul. They are demanding that authorities abandon the plan to ban the centuries-old tradition of consuming dog meat. Farmers argue that politicians have no right to destroy this sector or determine what meat citizens can consume, and they threatened to release 2 million dogs onto the streets of the city.
According to the South China Morning Post, several dozen farmers attempted to drive to the presidential administration in trucks carrying dog cages covered with blankets. However, the police prevented this, leading to riots.
Earlier, the government announced its intention to adopt a new "Special Law on the Prohibition of Dog Meat Consumption" within a year. Producers, processors, and distributors, as well as restaurant owners where this meat is on the menu, will be required to liquidate or redirect their businesses by 2027. They have been promised support and financial compensation. Nevertheless, producers deemed these measures insufficient, stating that they are being deprived of their livelihoods and the country of its cultural identity. "We cannot agree that this is barbarism," noted the leader of the industry group, Joo Yong Bon. He also added that if the law is passed, millions of dogs will end up on the streets of the country.
As the publication emphasizes, currently more than 6 million South Korean families keep dogs as pets. According to surveys, nearly two-thirds of the country's population opposes dog meat consumption, and only 8% stated that they ate this type of meat last year (compared to 27% in 2015).
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