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Photo, from SaveKoreanDogs: Seongnam Mayor making a speech at the press conference, after the Agreement Signing Ceremony. The banner hanging behind him states “companion animals are our family”.

We received a copy of the following memorandum from SaveKoreanDogs.
It was sent by the City of Seongnam requesting publicity for the ceremony that will be held for the Agreement reached between the City and the Seongnam Moran Market dog meat vendors: that they will remove all displays of dogs, and stop the slaughtering of dogs within Moran Market. However, before we pop the champagne, we must make it clear that this agreement DOES NOT STOP THE SALE OF DOG MEAT at this market. It only bans the display of live dogs in cages, as well as on site slaughter. Therefore slaughtering will still continue elsewhere, outside of the Moran Market, and these dog meat vendors can continue to sell dog meat.

Nevertheless, being unable to display live dogs or carry out on-the-spot slaughtering will definitely have a negative impact on their business. As such, this is a big step forward, as well as a victory for the countless animal activists who have campaigned for many years to shut this place down. Much more work and campaigning will be needed to stop the selling of dog meat altogether at this market, as well as throughout Korea.

Below is a translation of the memorandum:

Video, from SaveKoreanDogs: Mayor Jae-Myung Lee making a speech. He states “I receive many, many emails in English and foreign languages from all over the world, it’s all about the dog meat market and slaughtering. It’s time we bring changes in the city.”

Video, from SaveKoreanDogs: Representative of the dog meat vendors is answering questions.

Click HERE to read news by The Korea Herald, “Illegal dog slaughter to be banned in Moran Market”

Click HERE to read news by News1 (in Korean), “모란시장 불법 개 도축, 역사 속으로 사라진다”

Below is the translation of content of the Agreement, including the timeline for execution of the terms.

Main content of the consultation

Market Traders association: Will not display dogs in cages for purpose of sale, will not slaughter dogs within Moran Market. (Related facilities will be taken down)

City of Seongnam: Will support for the conversion of business, relocation of business, environmental modification and administrative support.

Lead the re-signing of contract to reduce rent, etc

Help find low interest loan for capital needed to change business

Training, consulting and management/marketing business support

Individualized job placement for workers

Grant right of residency to city-owned vacant store spaces

Official traditional market registration and environmental modification. (rain shields, signboard, pedestrian passage,)

Host a public forum for citizens and government.

Date: Early January 2017.

Location: Hannuri room (City Hall 3rd floor)

Participants: Approximately 100 people, including the Mayor of Seongnam, National Assembly members, animal welfare organizations, dog farmers, citizens, relevant government officials.

Topic: Public forum to solve the dog meat consumption issue.

Environmental modification implementation schedule

[Attachment] Seongnam Moran Market Environmental Modification Project

Moran Market, which has many dog vendors, used to be on the outskirts of our city. However, despite the fact that it is now in the center of the city, due to the development of new cities such as Bundang and Pangyo as well as development of transportation, it still displays dogs, goats, chickens etc., for sale, causing numerous civil complaints about noise, foul stench, etc. Therefore, as a result of continuous communication between the city and the Moran Market Trade Association, we have reached an agreement on a “Moran Market Environmental Modification”. This project’s objective is to foster a more pleasant city environment.

Current State of Moran Livestock Market

Location: Joongwon-gu Seongnam-dong 4183-bungi region
Number of stores: 22. (Wholesale 6, wholesale/retail 16)
Leasing Status: Own 5%, Lease 95%
Store structure: Approximately 60 square meter (2-5 cages per store)
=> Slaughter facilities are installed inside the store (area: approximately 10 square meter)
Distribution size (Estimated): On average approximately 220 dogs per day (80,000 dogs per year)*
*This is an estimate provided by the Moran Market Livestock Trade Association.

Plan Details
Formation and operation of Livestock Market Environmental Modification Task Force Team

7/14/2016: Meeting with the presiding Deputy mayor to discuss Moran Market environmental modification.
7/22/2016: Formation of environmental improvement task force team (11 departments including the deputy mayor)
7/22-12/9/2016: Environmental improvement task force team operation – 9 times
8/18/2016: Held a meeting with the dog meat traders with the presiding Deputy Mayor (4 traders, 8 city officials)

Formation and operation of Livestock Traders Association Council

9/28-12/5/2016: City of Seongnam-Traders Association Council group meeting operation – 10 times
12/1/2016: Study tours to Sokcho, Jumunjin Seafood Markets (21 traders, 2 city officials)

[Update February 26, 2017]Seongnam has begun removing slaughter facilities from the Moran Dog Meat Market. Dogs will be slaughtered somewhere else.

The Korea Herald reported that the “Seongnam City Government began Monday a process to remove butchery facilities from South Korea’s largest dog meat market, but was shortly interrupted by angry vendors who went against the removal” with a video from the scene.

Nami Kim with SaveKoreanDogs.org posted on Facebook: “It is Mayor Lee who is so determined to remove the slaughter facilities at the Moran dog meat market. Meanwhile, the business will go on as usual until the mayor comes up with some very attractive alternatives. It was at 10 am this morning when the chief made it official, despite some vendors against the idea and shouting and interrupting the press release. The vendors/butchers will have to buy the meat from wholesalers somewhere else. There is talk that this market will be shutting down, which means fewer buyers will come to buy the meat here. This is one way of reducing the consumption of the meat. It was a good day for the dogs. All baby steps will bring a huge leap one day, just like the Berlin Wall.”