By Kim Bo-eun
An event campaigning against the consumption of dog meat will take place at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall next month.
The event is being organized by activists from the Korean Animal Welfare Association and Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE).
Scheduled for July 9, the event comes ahead of Chobok (July 14), which is the first of the three hottest days of the year according to the lunar calendar. On these days, Koreans commonly eat "stamina-boosting" dishes, and dog meat is considered one of these among the older generation.
It also comes at a time when Korea is making efforts to curb the practice ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, as online petitions have been ongoing globally to boycott the event unless Korea bans the consumption of dog meat.
Earlier this year, Seongnam City vowed to gradually close down the nation's largest dog market, which sells 80,000 dogs a year.
This was based on an agreement the local government signed with Moran Market's dog meat vendors' association in December, in which the government pledged to assist the vendors in seeking new livelihoods and to refurbish their shops.
Korea is one of the few countries, along with others in Asia, where dog meat consumption continues.
However, amid global outcry against the practice, countries have started taking action.
In April, Taiwan revised its animal protection laws to outlaw the consumption of dog and cat meat.
Reports last month said China's Yulin dog meat festival slated for June was cancelled by authorities, in a bid to improve the city's image.
An event campaigning against the consumption of dog meat will take place at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall next month.
The event is being organized by activists from the Korean Animal Welfare Association and Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE).
Scheduled for July 9, the event comes ahead of Chobok (July 14), which is the first of the three hottest days of the year according to the lunar calendar. On these days, Koreans commonly eat "stamina-boosting" dishes, and dog meat is considered one of these among the older generation.
It also comes at a time when Korea is making efforts to curb the practice ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, as online petitions have been ongoing globally to boycott the event unless Korea bans the consumption of dog meat.
Earlier this year, Seongnam City vowed to gradually close down the nation's largest dog market, which sells 80,000 dogs a year.
This was based on an agreement the local government signed with Moran Market's dog meat vendors' association in December, in which the government pledged to assist the vendors in seeking new livelihoods and to refurbish their shops.
Korea is one of the few countries, along with others in Asia, where dog meat consumption continues.
However, amid global outcry against the practice, countries have started taking action.
In April, Taiwan revised its animal protection laws to outlaw the consumption of dog and cat meat.
Reports last month said China's Yulin dog meat festival slated for June was cancelled by authorities, in a bid to improve the city's image.
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