Click HERE to learn more and take action: https://koreandogs.org/mafra/

 

 

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.

PETITION:

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.

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,

 

 

 

 

PETITION 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.

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.