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On December 30, 2020, ten members of Korea’s National Assembly, led by Congresswoman Han Jeoung-Ae of the Democratic (Minjoo) Party (also newly appointed Minister of Environment), proposed a revision to the Animal Protection Act that would outlaw the slaughtering and sale of dogs and cats for meat. Bill Number 2107035 proposes a 5-year grace period.

👉 Click HERE to see this bill on the South Korea’s National Assembly site.

Amendments to the Animal Protection Act, Livestock Industry Act, and Waste Management Act had been proposed in the 20th National Assembly to end the practice of dog meat consumption, but they were automatically discarded upon the expiration of that term.

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Proposed partial amendments to the Animal Protection Act

Rationale for the Proposal

Breeding and consuming dogs as food have continued as long-standing practices in some Asian countries, including Korea, China and Taiwan.

However, it is widely recognized around the world that dogs are companion animals. Consistent with such global awareness, China and Taiwan have recently taken measures to ban dog meat.

In Korea today, an unprecedented 1 in 4 citizens has a companion animal. The general public’s awareness and appreciation of animal welfare have also drastically risen, and the will to ban dog meat consumption has never been higher.

Accordingly, the act of slaughtering and processing dogs or cats and using or selling them for food should be prohibited and appropriate penalties imposed for violation. In addition, the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs should establish and implement policies such as subsidies and other support mechanisms to assist those in the dog meat industry who voluntarily choose to close or convert their business (Article 8-2, Article 8-3 newly established, etc.).

Partial amendment to the Animal Protection Act

Part of the Animal Protection Act is to be amended as follows.
Articles 8(2) and 8(3) are newly established as follows.

Article 8(2) (Prohibition of Sale of Dogs, etc. for Food, etc.)
1. No one shall slaughter or process dog or cat and use as food for consumption or sell it.
2. A person who has been convicted of violating Article 8(2)1 (No one shall slaughter or process dog or cat and use as food for consumption or sell it) shall not be allowed to own a companion animal.
3. Cities, Governors, Mayors, County Directors, District Directors shall take all necessary measures to confiscate, protect and manage the companion animal from a person who violates Article 8(2)2.

Article 8(3) (Support for Closing or Converting of Business, etc.)
1. The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs shall establish and implement necessary policies and measures such as payment of subsidies for business closure and business conversion, etc. to those who report business closure or conversion of business due to the provisions of Article 8(2)1.
2. Details necessary for the payment of subsidies for business closure and business conversion under Article 8(3)1 such as payment eligibility, payment standards, calculation methods and payment procedures, etc. shall be prescribed by Presidential Decree.

Animal Protection Act (Promulgate No. 16977) will be partially amended:
Article 46 (Penalty Provisions)(1)2 will become Article 46(1)3, Article 46(1)2 will be newly added as follows:
Article 46(1)2. A person who slaughters or process dogs or cats and use as food for consumption or sells them in violation of Article 8(2)1;
From Article 46(3)1 to 4 will become Article 46(3)2 to 5, and in the Article 46(3)1 is newly added as follows:
Article 46(3)1. A person who owns a companion animal in violation of Article 8(2)2.

Addendum
This law enters into force one year after its promulgation. However, the amended provisions of Article 8(2), Partial Amendment to the Animal Protection Act (Promulgate No. 16977), Article 46(1)2, and the Article 46(3)1 shall be enforced effective five years after the date of promulgation.

What does this mean? Here is our interpretation of Bill No. 2107035:

No one shall slaughter or process dog or cat and use as food for consumption or sell it.

A person who has been convicted of violating Article 8(2)1 (No one shall slaughter or process dog or cat and use as food for consumption or sell it) shall not be allowed to own a companion animal.

Cities, Governors, Mayors, County Directors, District Directors shall take necessary measures to confiscate, protect and manage the companion animal from a person who has been convicted of violating Article 8(2)1 (No one shall slaughter or process dog or cat and use as food for consumption or sell it) and owns a companion animal.

A person who slaughters or processes dog or cat and uses as food for consumption or sells it shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than three years or by a fine not exceeding 30 million won.

A person who has been convicted of violating Article 8(2)1 (No one shall slaughter or process dog or cat and use as food for consumption or sell it) and owns a companion animal (violating Article 8(2)2) shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five million won.

Video: Protest at the Daegu Chilseong Dog Meat Market, July 12, 2019 (Chobok, first of 3 Boknal days)

👉 Click HERE for information on Korean legislative process.

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South Korean National Assembly – Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee Members

👉 Click HERE for the South Korean National Assembly – Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans, and Fisheries Committee Members. Click on their photos for contact information.

Name	Korean Name	Email	Office phone	Blog	Political Party	Office Number
Mr. Lee Kai Ho (Committee Chair)	이개호	[email protected]	02-784-2165	https://blog.naver.com/lgh59623	Democratic Party	719
Mr. An Byung Gil	안병길	[email protected]	02-6788-6711		People Power Party	528
Mr. Choi In Ho	최인호	[email protected]	02-784-2195		Democratic Party	332
Mr. Kim Tae Heum *New	김태흠	[email protected]	02-784-4710	http://blog.naver.com/ktheum	People Power Party	407
Mr. Eoh Kiy Ku	어기구		02-784-4360 / 041-356-2020	https://blog.naver.com/kiyku	Democratic Party	632
Mr. Hong Moon Pyo	홍문표	[email protected]	02-784-9587		People Power Party	336
Mr. Jeong Jeom Sig	정점식	[email protected]	02-784-6327	https://blog.naver.com/jsjeong0403	People Power Party	714
Mr. Ju Cheol Hyeon	주철현	[email protected]	02-784-6341~3	https://blog.naver.com/jjwc306	Democratic Party	536
Mr. Kim Seung Nam	김승남	[email protected]	02-784-1091~2		Democratic Party	739
Mr. Kim Sun Gyo	김선교	[email protected]	02-784-4195		People Power Party	934
Mr. Kwon Chil Seung *New	권칠승	[email protected]	02-784-1250	http://blog.naver.com/k7wins	Democratic Party	325
Mr. Park Deok Heum *New	박덕흠	[email protected]	02-784-6550		Independent	604
Mr. Lee Man Hee	이만희	[email protected]	02-784-5901	http://band.us/@yc20002	People Power Party	819
Mr. Lee Won Taeg	이원택		02-6788-7031		Democratic Party	523
Mr. Lee Yang Soo	이양수	[email protected]	02-784-8150		People Power Party	938
Mr. Maeng Sung Kyu	맹성규	[email protected]	02-784-6181, 032-466-9100	https://blog.naver.com/minjoo_maeng	Democratic Party	926
Mr. Seo Sam Seok	서삼석	[email protected]	02-784-9501	http://3s0011.com	Democratic Party	1022
Mr. Wi Seong Gon	위성곤	[email protected]	02-784-6450		Democratic Party	717
Mr. Yoon Jae Kab	윤재갑	[email protected]	02-784-1460	https://url.kr/iNsVb4	Democratic Party	542

📧 Email addresses:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

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Below is proposed partial amendments to the Animal Protection Act in Korean:

[2107035]동물보호법 일부개정법률안(한정애의원 등 10인)
http://likms.assembly.go.kr/bill/coactorListPopup.do?billId=PRC_Q2D0V1R2E3E0K1R4D0N2S1G5K0B9H1

▶ 발의의원 명단
한정애(더불어민주당/韓貞愛) 강선우(더불어민주당/姜仙祐) 김경만(더불어민주당/金京萬)
민홍철(더불어민주당/閔洪喆) 박성준(더불어민주당/朴省俊) 박홍근(더불어민주당/朴洪根)
이동주(더불어민주당/李東洲) 장철민(더불어민주당/張喆敏) 최기상(더불어민주당/崔基相)
황운하(더불어민주당/黃雲夏)

▶ 제안이유 및 주요내용

우리나라를 비롯하여 중국, 대만 등 일부 아시아 국가에서는 개를 식용 목적으로 사육하고 소비하는 것이 오랜 관행처럼 지속되어 왔음.
그러나 전 세계적으로 개는 반려동물이라는 인식이 보편화되어 있고 최근 중국, 대만 등에서도 세계적 인식에 부합해 개 식용을 금지하는 조치들을 취하고 있는 실정임.
우리나라도 최근 반려동물을 기르는 인구가 4명 중 1명에 달할 정도로 반려동물 인구가 급증하였고, 그에 따라 일반 국민의 동물복지에 대한 인식 또한 크게 향상되어 사회적으로 개 식용을 금지해야 한다는 요구가 매우 높은 상황임.
이에 개나 고양이를 도살·처리하여 식용으로 사용하거나 판매하는 행위를 금지하여 위반 시 벌칙을 부과하는 한편, 농림축산식품부장관이 개 식용업 등을 하는 자가 폐업 신고 및 업종전환을 하는 경우 폐업 및 업종전환 등에 따른 지원금 지급 등 필요한 지원 시책을 수립·시행하도록 하여 관행처럼 지속되어 온 개 식용 문화를 근절하려는 것임(안 제8조의2, 제8조의3 신설 등).

▶ 동물보호법 일부개정법률안
동물보호법 일부를 다음과 같이 개정한다.
제8조의2 및 제8조의3을 각각 다음과 같이 신설한다.
제8조의2(개 등 식용 판매 금지 등) ① 누구든지 개나 고양이를 도살ㆍ처리하여 식용으로 사용하거나 판매하여서는 아니 된다.
② 제1항을 위반하여 형벌의 처분을 받은 자는 반려동물을 소유하여서는 아니 된다.
③ 시ㆍ도지사와 시장ㆍ군수ㆍ구청장은 제2항을 위반하여 반려동물을 소유한 자로부터 해당 반려동물을 격리하여 보호ㆍ관리를 위하여 필요한 조치를 하여야 한다.
제8조의3(폐업 및 업종전환 등의 지원) ① 농림축산식품부장관은 제8조의2제1항의 규정으로 인하여 폐업 신고 및 업종전환을 한 자에대하여 폐업 및 업종전환 등에 따른 지원금 지급 등 필요한 시책을 수립ㆍ시행하여야 한다.
② 제1항에 따른 폐업 및 업종전환 지원금 지급대상, 지급기준, 산출방법 및 지급절차 등에 필요한 사항은 대통령령으로 정한다.
법률 제16977호 동물보호법 일부개정법률 제46조제1항제2호를 제3호로 하고, 같은 항에 제2호를 다음과 같이 신설하며, 같은 조 제3항제1호부터 제4호까지를 각각 제2호부터 제5호까지로 하고, 같은 항에 제1호를 다음과 같이 신설한다.
2. 제8조의2제1항을 위반하여 개나 고양이를 도살ㆍ처리하여 식용으로 사용하거나 판매한 자
1. 제8조의2제2항을 위반하여 반려동물을 소유한 자
부 칙
이 법은 공포 후 1년이 경과한 날부터 시행한다. 다만, 제8조의2의 개정규정, 법률 제16977호 동물보호법 일부개정법률 제46조제1항제2호 및 같은 조 제3항제1호의 개정규정은 공포 후 5년이 경과한 날부터 시행한다.

▶ 신ㆍ구조문대비표

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Update 6/23/2021: Please see below for the status of Bill No. 7035 as of June 23, 2021.

👉 Click HERE to see the status of Bill No. 7035.