South Korea Dog Meat Farm Phase-Out Crisis

South Korea’s dog-meat industry is in a legally mandated phase-out after the National Assembly unanimously passed a ban on the breeding, slaughter, trade, and sale of dogs for human consumption in January 2024, with full enforcement set for February 2027 after a three-year grace period. The law also immediately banned new dog-meat farms and related facilities, while requiring existing operators to report and submit phase-out plans, making the current crisis one of transition rather than immediate closure. The welfare problem remains acute because hundreds of thousands of dogs are still confined on farms and in supply-chain facilities while the industry winds down. Recent reporting cites about 468,000 dogs in cages nationwide and roughly 5,900 related businesses, while the BBC reported that 5,623 of South Korea’s 1,537 dog farms had ceased operations by June 2025, showing that closures are progressing but the system is not yet समाप्त. Animal welfare groups continue to describe severe confinement, poor sanitation, injuries, disease, malnutrition, and neglect at remaining sites, and shelters are already reported to be at or near capacity as governments and NGOs try to rehome surrendered dogs.