Animal rights activists hold a protest in front of Moran Market in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, May 25, denouncing dog meat industry stakeholders for allegedly expanding their businesses to get compensation after the passage of the dog meat ban. Yonhap

Korea's animal advocacy groups and dog meat industry stakeholders remain divided over how quickly to end the contentious trade following the National Assembly's passage of the bill to root out the long-practiced consumption of man's best friend in Korea, earlier this year.

Animal groups call for a prompt end through rescue and euthanasia before the bill takes full-scale effect in 2027, while dog meat farmers argue for a “natural end” to the age-old food culture.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Tuesday, over 500,000 dogs are being raised for human consumption by a total of 1,507 dog farms in Korea. The figure is greater than or similar to the government's latest study that estimated some 1,156 dog farms are raising over 520,000 dogs for meat consumption nationwide.

Over half, or 53.6 percent, of these facilities are owned by those aged over 65 who have little to no experience working in other fields, the ministry noted.

Under the special act, which passed under rare political unity in January, raising or butchering dogs for human consumption will be illegal in Korea from 2027. Industry stakeholders are to submit plans outlining the steps to downsize and eventually shut down their businesses by Aug. 5.

According to the Korean Association of Edible Dog's view, it will take about two and a half years for the industry to completely close down and disappear. The calculation is based on an estimate that some 200,000 dogs are sold annually in the market here.

Ju Yeong-bong, right, secretary-general of the Korean Association of Edible Dog, speaks during a press conference before filing a petition with the Constitutional Court over the special act that bans the trade and consumption of dog meat in Seoul, March 26. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

By 2027, without additional breeding, the country should see a “natural end to the food culture and age-old tradition” within the three-year grace period, which the association argues to be “already too short” for any transition of profession for dog meat farmers and retailers.

Notably, the association filed a petition in March on behalf of the country's dog meat stakeholders to the top court to nullify the ban on dog meat trade and consumption. With little chance of winning, the lawsuit claims the special act infringes on people's basic rights to choose their own profession and what to eat.

On the contrary, animal rights groups believe the industry should come to an early end by all means, citing that dog consumption itself is already illegal under the Food Sanitation Act.

Some 60 animal activists and members of Catch Dog, a local animal advocacy group, held a rally in front of Moran Market, May 25, to condemn the industry's alleged expansion of dog farming. Located in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, the venue was once known to be the nation's largest dog meat market.

According to the group, dog meat farmers across the country are expanding the site of their facilities and continuing dog breeding even after the passage of the special act in a bid to receive more compensation.

The association has asserted that dog farmers are entitled to receive support funds of 2 million won per canine, and additional expenses they received from municipalities for handling food waste, which was served as feed for dogs in the farms, as “fair compensation” to the ban, which illegalized the trade that would have naturally disappeared in the coming decade.

Amid this atmosphere, the agriculture ministry plans to provide dog meat farmers with job transition consulting sessions through a task force consisting of agricultural business experts and local government representatives.