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South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Which Turns a Blind Eye to Illegal Dog Meat Farming, Must Wake Up!

Sharing for Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE)

On August 8, the animal rights organization Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) visited the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) headquarters in Sejong, South Korea. The purpose was to protest MAFRA’s failure to address illegal dog farm facilities in accordance with current laws by claiming that enforcement of the laws is the responsibility of the local governments.

CARE summarizes the issues as follows:

The “Dog Meat Consumption Ban Law” was enacted on February 6th. Starting from February 7, 2027, it prohibits the raising, slaughtering, distributing, or selling of dogs for consumption. The government has announced a three-year grace period, claiming the delay is necessary to “minimize confusion” during the law’s implementation.

The issue is that MAFRA made an absurd request to local governments during this process. They asked local authorities not to enforce the current laws for dog farms that have merely submitted conversion plans. This means MAFRA’s directive was to apply the law subjectively while ignoring enforcement on illegal land conversions, building code violations, and unregistered constructions at the discretion of local governments.

MAFRA claims that this decision encourages dog farm owners to terminate their operations as soon as possible. However, the consequence is that even if illegal activities in the dog meat industry are discovered during the grace period, they will be overlooked.

CARE strongly disagrees with this approach. If compensation to the dog farm owners was inevitable due to the passage of the special law, MAFRA should have said that they would enforce violations of the current law more strictly for a faster transition. At the same time, MAFRA could have suggested increased compensation for those who ceased operations faster than others.

Who is the dog meat consumption ban law intended to protect? It was clearly created to protect dogs and prevent their slaughter. However, who exactly is MAFRA currently advocating for, and what are they asking to be overlooked?

MAFRA’s administrative position, which only serves to help the dog meat industry, strengthens the claims of the Dog Farmers Association. The Dog Farmers Association has expressed that the three-year grace period is too short and has demanded an extension to a total of six years. They have also argued that the compensation of 300,000 won (approximately USD $230) per dog is insufficient. Moreover, at the protest on the 8th, they threatened that if their demands were not met, they would increase the number of dogs eligible for compensation from 500,000 to 10,000,000.

The law was created specifically to eliminate dog farms driven by human greed, yet people continue to be greedy. At the same time, animal protection organizations that work for animals are being fined for obstructing official duties, “stalking,” and violating various laws while their shelters are facing demolitions. So, while dog farms are overlooked, animal protection organizations are relentlessly and harshly punished.

CARE will continue to advocate for animal protection and fight against those who harm them. We ask for your support and collaboration with CARE.

✅ CARE is always by the side of the animals. Hana Bank 350-910009-45704 (CARE)

💙To become a member of CARE, please click the link (in Korean)http://naver.me/GJriolNO

💗🐾🙏 Please donate to help CARE fight to end dog meat cruelty in South Korea and assist with medical treatment, fostering, and overseas adoption of rescue dogs.
You can make a one-time or monthly donation via PayPal. 👉 https://animalrights.or.kr/pages/paypal.php
Thank you for your support! 💙

💗 To donate to Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), the best option is to contribute directly to them. However, we have set up a GoFundMe page for those who prefer an alternative where you can donate and share with your friends and family. Rest assured, 100% of the funds raised on GoFundMe will be donated to CARE. (South Korea is not on the list of Countries supported on GoFundMe, so KoreanDogs.org is raising money for CARE instead.) 👉 GoFundMe Link: https://gofund.me/d483838d

Video: Live stream of the Dog Meat Association counter-protest Part 2 (The Dog Meat Association demands an extension of the grace period by another 3 years?) “육견협회 맞불 집회 라이브2 (3년 더 연장한다고?) Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE)

Video: Hellish dog farm in Wonju, South Korea.

Call for Action

👉 Click HERE to file a petition with the South Korean government through e-People online. (You can use our “Suggested message” below or write your own.)
📌 Need help with the e-People petition? Click HERE for instructions.

👉 📧 Send emails to the South Korean National Assembly members.

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👉 📬Send a letter to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Minister Song Mi-Ryung
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Sejong Government Complex, 94 Dasom 2-ro, Sejong
Postal Code 30110
South Korea

📬 The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs addresses in Korean:
농림축산식품부 송미령 장관
농림축산식품부
(30110) 세종특별자치시 다솜2로 94 정부세종청사
South Korea

📝 Suggested message

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: Urgent Action Needed to Address and Enforce Laws Against Illegal Dog Meat Farming

To: South Korean Government
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), South Korea

Dear President Yoon Suk-Yeol and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Song Mi-Ryung,

We, the undersigned, are writing to express our deep concern regarding MAFRA’s recent handling of illegal dog meat farming facilities and the enforcement of the “Special Bill to End the Breeding, Slaughter, and Distribution of Dogs for Consumption and Dog Meat Consumption” which was enacted on February 6th.

Despite the law’s intent to eliminate dog farms driven by human greed and protect dogs from slaughter, MAFRA’s actions and directives undermine these goals. Here are the critical issues we urge you to address:

Failure to Enforce Existing Laws: MAFRA’s directive to local governments not to enforce current laws against dog farms that have submitted conversion plans is troubling. This approach allows illegal activities, such as land conversions, building code violations, and unregistered constructions, to continue unchecked during the grace period.

Overlooked Illegal Activities: The grace period granted by MAFRA, intended to “minimize confusion,” has led to a situation where illegal activities in the dog meat industry are being overlooked. This compromises the law’s effectiveness and fails to protect dogs from ongoing harm.

Lack of Strict Enforcement: If compensation to dog farm owners was deemed necessary, MAFRA should have committed to stricter enforcement of current laws to ensure a swift transition. Increased compensation for quicker cessation of operations could have been a more effective strategy.

Advocacy for the Dog Meat Industry: MAFRA’s current stance seems to favor the dog meat industry rather than the welfare of animals. This has emboldened the Dog Farmers Association, which now demands an extension of the grace period and increased compensation, threatening to drastically increase the number of dogs eligible for compensation.

Disproportionate Punishments for Animal Protection Organizations: Animal protection organizations face harsh penalties and legal threats, even as dog farms are neglected. This inconsistency is both unjust and counterproductive.

Our Demands:

Immediate Enforcement: Enforce existing laws against illegal dog farms without delay, ensuring that violations are addressed promptly and effectively.

Reevaluate Grace Period: Reconsider the necessity of the three-year grace period and ensure it does not become a loophole for continued illegal activities.

Protect Animal Welfare: Prioritize the protection of dogs and support animal protection organizations rather than penalize them.

Transparent Actions: Provide a clear and transparent plan detailing how MAFRA will address illegal dog meat farming and support the implementation of the dog meat ban law.

An online petition is currently in progress, urging your immediate action to address and enforce laws against illegal dog meat farming: https://chng.it/Wbvtbkc6zx We urge MAFRA to take immediate action to rectify this situation and ensure that the “Special Bill to End the Breeding, Slaughter, and Distribution of Dogs for Consumption and Dog Meat Consumption” achieves its intended purpose of protecting dogs and ending the cruel dog meat trade.

Sincerely,

[Your name, city, country]

📝 Suggested message in Korean

농림축산식품부: 불법 개농장 단속 및 관련 법 집행에 대한 긴급 조치를 강력히 촉구합니다.

수신: 대한민국 정부
농림축산식품부

존경하는 윤석열 대통령님과 송미령 농림축산식품부 장관님,

저희는 농림축산식품부의 최근 불법 개농장 시설 처리 및 2월 6일에 제정된 “개의 식용 목적의 사육, 도살 및 유통 등 종식에 관한 특별법” 집행에 대한 깊은 우려를 표명하기 위해 서명한 바입니다. 이 법은 인간의 욕심으로 만들어진 개 농장을 없애기 위해 제정되었음에도 불구하고, 농식품부의 조치와 지침은 이러한 목표를 저해하고 있습니다. 다음은 저희가 해결을 촉구하는 주요 문제들입니다.

기존 법 집행 실패: 농식품부는 지자체 측에 전업 이행계획서를 제출한 개 농장들에 대해 현행법 위반 사항을 법대로 처분하지 말고 ‘봐 달라’고 지시했습니다. 즉, 농지 불법 전용, 건축법 위반, 무허가·미신고 건축물 등에 대해 지자체의 재량으로 처리 수준을 완화하고 탄력적으로 운용하라는 지침입니다. 농식품부는 이것이 개 식용 조기 종식을 위한 선택이라고 주장하지만, 실제로는 유예 기간 동안 개 식용 산업의 불법성이 적발되더라도 문제 삼지 말라는 의미입니다.

불법 활동 간과: 정부는 법 시행에 따른 혼란을 최소화하기 위해 3년의 유예 기간을 두겠다고 했습니다. 그러나 이로 인해 개 식용 산업의 불법 활동이 간과되고 있으며, 법의 효과성이 저하되어 개들이 잔인한 학대와 도살로부터 보호되지 못하고 있습니다.

엄격한 집행 부족: 농식품부는 특별법 통과로 보상이 불가피했다면, 오히려 현행법 위반을 엄중히 단속하여 조기 종식을 촉진했어야 합니다. 동시에, 빠르게 전업하는 업자들에게는 보상 차등을 제시하는 것이 더 효과적인 전략이었을 것입니다.

개식용 산업 옹호: 농식품부의 현재 입장은 동물 복지보다는 개식용 산업을 우선시하는 것으로 보입니다. 이로 인해 육견협회에 자신감을 주었으며, 이들은 유예 기간 연장과 보상 증액을 요구하며 보상 대상 개의 수를 대폭 늘릴 것을 협박하고 있습니다.

동물보호단체에 대한 불균형 처벌: 동물보호단체는 엄격한 처벌과 법적 위협에 직면하고 있는 반면, 개 농장들은 방치되고 있습니다. 이러한 불일치는 부당하고 비효율적입니다.

저희는 농식품부에 다음과 같은 조치를 촉구합니다.

즉각적인 법 집행: 불법 개 농장에 대한 기존 법을 지체 없이 집행하여 위반 사항이 신속하고 효과적으로 처리되도록 하십시오.

유예 기간 재검토: 3년 유예 기간의 필요성을 재검토하고, 이 기간이 계속적인 불법 활동의 허점이 되지 않도록 하십시오.

동물 복지 보호: 개 보호를 최우선으로 하고, 동물 보호 단체를 지원하되 처벌하지 마십시오.

투명한 조치: 농식품부가 불법 개 농장 문제를 어떻게 해결할 것인지와 개식용 금지법의 시행을 지원하는 계획을 명확하고 투명하게 제시하십시오.

불법 개농장 단속 및 관련 법 집행에 대한 긴급 조치를 강력히 촉구하는 청원 캠페인을 전세계적으로 진행하고 있습니다. https://chng.it/Wbvtbkc6zx 저희는 농식품부가 즉각적인 조치를 취하여 “개의 식용 목적 사육, 도축 및 유통 종식에 관한 특별법”이 개를 보호하고 잔인한 개식용을 종식시키는 목표를 달성할수 있도록 할 것을 촉구합니다.

감사합니다.

👉 Post on X.

.@President_KR .@news_NA .@mafrakorea Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: Urgent Action Needed to Address and Enforce Laws Against Illegal Dog Meat Farming https://chng.it/Wbvtbkc6zxhttps://koreandogs.org/mafra/


집회 후기: 불법 개 식용 봐주는 농식품부는 각성하라

지난 8월 8일 동물권단체 케어는 세종시의 농식품부 청사 앞을 찾았습니다.

개 농장의 불법 시설을 법대로 처리하지 않고, 지자체 재량이라고 말하는 농식품부를 상대로 집회를 열기 위해서입니다.
케어가 쟁점 사항을 요약해 드리겠습니다.

지난 2월 6일, ‘개 식용 종식법’이 제정됐고, 2027년 2월 7일부터는 식용 목적으로 개를 사육하거나 도살, 유통, 판매하는 행위가 전면 금지됐습니다. 그러나 정부는 법 시행에 따른 혼란을 최소화한다며 3년이라는 유예기간을 갖겠다고 합니다. 문제는 이 과정에서 농식품부는 지자체 측에 황당한 요청을 했습니다.

전업 이행계획서를 낸 개 농장들의 현행법 위반을 법대로 처분하지 말고 ‘봐 달라’ 는 것입니다. 즉 농지 불법전용, 가분법 위반, 무허가·미신고 건축물 등에 대해 지자체 재량으로 처리 수준을 완화하는 등 탄력적 운용을 하라는 지침입니다. 농식품부는 이것이 개 식용 조기 종식을 위한 선택이라고 합니다. 그러나 이것은 유예기간 동안 개 식용 산업의 불법성이 적발되어도 넘어가달라는 의미입니다.

케어의 생각은 다릅니다. 특별법 통과로 보상이 불가피했다면, 오히려 더 빠른 조기종식을 위해 현행법 위반을 엄중단속하겠다고 했어야 합니다. 그와 동시에 빠르게 전업하는 업자들에게 보상차등을 제시했어야 합니다.

개 식용 종식법은 누굴 위한 법인가요? 사람을 위한 법이 아닙니다. 개를 죽이지 말자며 보호하기 위해 만든 법입니다.

그런데 지금 농식품부는 누굴 위해 목소리를 높이고 있는 걸까요? 또 무엇을 봐 주라는 것입니까? 농림부의 눈치보기식 행정은 육견협회의 주장을 더 강하게 할 뿐입니다.

육견협회 측에선 유예기간 3년이 짧다며 6년으로 연장해달라, 개 1마리당 보상금 30만 원이 부당하다는 의견을 표출했습니다. 또 8일 집회에서는 만약 자신들의 요구가 받아들여지지 않을 시, 보상금 책정 대상인 개를 50만 명이 아닌 1,000만 명으로 늘릴 것이라고 협박했습니다. 인간들의 욕심으로 만들어진 개 농장을 없애기 위한 법이 만들어졌음에도 불구하고, 인간들은 또 돈 욕심을 부리고 있습니다.

반면, 동물을 위해 움직이는 동물보호단체들은 공무집행방해, 스토킹, 농지법 등 온갖 법률 위반에 대한 벌금을 물고 있고 보호소들은 철거를 당하고 있습니다. 개 농장은 봐주면서, 동물보호단체엔 얄짤 없는 나라.

동물권단체 케어는 앞으로도 꾸준히 목소리를 내어 동물들을 지킬 것입니다. 동물을 해하려는 사람들에겐 끝까지 맞서 싸워 동물을 지킬 것입니다. 케어와 함께 힘을 합쳐 주시길 바랍니다.

Wonju, South Korea’s dog farms. USA Today.

  1. Urszula Lund
    Urszula LundSeptember 18,24

    HOW LONG will the WORLD watch unspeakable tortures inflicted on dogs and cats at Korea’s’ dog-meat markets and do nothing about it. How can you talk about “peace” and “democracy” while shocking horrors are regularly committed on defenseless, loving and innocent animals in front of your eyes! Skinning dogs and cats alive, cooking them alive and other appalling tortures shall NOT BE SILENCED, but openly directed to the President of Korea. We live in 2024 and this abomination must end!
    Those who visit this COUNTRY of HORRORS have the obligation to scrutinize its shocking ways of animal abuse and TAKE ACTION!

  2. Urszula Lund
    Urszula LundOctober 2,24

    The illegal slaughter means the continuation of the unspeakable atrocities committed against innocent and defenceless dogs and cats, which South Korea has decided to shut down once and for all. People who continue this horrific “business” should be severely punished with many years in prison and severe fines!

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