City Court in South Korea Ruled it was illegal to Kill Dogs for Meat

A South Korean city court has outlawed the killing of dogs for meat, in a potentially landmark ruling that animal rights activists said Thursday could pave the way for making canine eating illegal.

The meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine, with about one million dogs believed to be eaten annually.

But the consumption has declined as South Koreans increasingly embrace the idea of ​​dogs as the best man's friend rather than livestock, with the practice now of a taboo among younger generations and pressure from activists mounting.

Even so it remains a legal gray area. Despite no specific ban, authorities have invoked hygiene regulations or animal protection laws that ban cruel slaughter methods to crack down on dog farms and restaurants ahead of international events such as the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Animal Rights Group Care last year filed complaints against a dog farm operator in Bucheon, accusing him of "killing animals without proper reasons" and violating building and hygiene regulations, and prosecutors later charged him.

He was convicted by Bucheon City Court, which ruled that meat consumption was not a legal reason to kill dogs, and that he was fined three million won (US $ 2,700). He waived his right to appeal.

Which lawyer Kim Kyung-eun welcomed the ruling - made in April but with details only released this week.

"It is very important in that it is the first court decision that killing dogs for dog meat is illegal itself."

The precedent "paved the way for outlawing dog meat consumption entirely", she added.

Care leader Park So-youn said her group was tracking down dog farms and slaughter houses across the country with a view to filing similar complaints against them to judicial authorities.<...