Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Woof! 67 lucky dogs embark on cross-ocean journey to find forever families
Lee Sang-kyung, campaign manager of Humane World for Animals Korea, interacts with a dog at a dog meat farm in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, March 31. Courtesy of Humane World for Animals
By Lee Hae-rin
CHEONGJU, North Chungcheong Province — Ginger and Cinnamon, two dogs confined to a cramped, filthy wire cage on a dog meat farm in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, had known nothing but hardship.
But their lives took a dramatic turn on Thursday morning, when they were finally rescued from their grim existence.
“This white puppy is Ginger and the brown one is called Cinnamon. They’re brothers but very different. For some reason, Ginger cannot stand Cinnamon eating his food, so we needed to watch them after feeding them,” said Lee Sang-kyung, the campaign manager of the Korean office of the U.S.-based animal advocacy group Humane World for Animals, who visited the site several times since February.
The moment the pups saw Lee, they barked joyfully and wagged their tails. Like any other puppies, Ginger and Cinnamon are playful and friendly, yet their lives have been shaped by tragedy. All they've known — the sights, smells and sounds — were confined to a small dog meat farm in rural Korea.
"The puppies will soon embark on a long journey to a new life, leaving Korea behind and finding a forever family," Lee said.
Ginger and Cinnamon were among 67 dogs rescued from the farm, in a joint effort by the animal rights group formerly known as the Humane Society International and the local government.
Dogs are shown locked in a cage at a dog meat farm in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, March 31. Courtesy of Humane World for Animals
The compound had housed hundreds of dogs for over 40 years. It was shut down after a citizen reported the facility to the local government in February, but dozens of dogs remained locked in rusted, filthy cages, with slaughter tools still hanging nearby.
Most of the dogs there were Jindo mixes under the age of 3. Some appeared scared, but the majority greeted strangers with wagging tails and excited barks.
Korean American actor Daniel Henney, an animal lover who has adopted three dogs rescued from dog meat farms in Korea, joined Thursday’s mission.
Actor Daniel Henney interacts with the dogs at a dog meat farm in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Humane World for Animals
“Their only contact with humans has been very aggressive and painful, yet they’re still very gentle and excited to see people. Their spirit is really strong and it makes me very happy,” he said.
The rescue was conducted with quiet precision.
Lee stepped into the cage, soothing the dogs as he carefully leashed them and guided them out. At the same time, Henney cleared away the food and water bowls. Working together, they loaded the dogs into a truck bound for Incheon International Airport, where a new chapter of their lives would begin.
As of Monday, 51 dogs have arrived safely at the organization’s shelter in Maryland, where they will receive care and training as they begin the search for their forever families.
Dogs rescued by Humane World for Animals from a dog meat farm in Korea arrive at the organization's care and rehabilitation center in Maryland. Courtesy of Humane World for Animals
A dog rescued by Humane World for Animals from a dog meat farm in Korea arrives at the organization's care and rehabilitation center in Maryland. Courtesy of Humane World for Animals
Dog meat consumption in Korea, a centuries-old practice believed by some to offer special health benefits, has declined sharply in recent decades. This shift is driven by increasing awareness of animal welfare and a growing culture of pet ownership. Historically, the practice existed in a gray area, neither explicitly legal nor illegal.
After passing a dog meat ban in January 2024, Korea has been taking steps to eliminate the trade altogether, following in the footsteps of regional neighbors like Taiwan, the Philippines and Singapore, where the practice is already prohibited.
Following the ban — which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,364) starting in 2027 — four out of every 10 dog meat farms in Korea have closed voluntarily, supported by government subsidies for job transition.
An owner of a dog meat stall at Gyeongdong Market in Seoul's Dongdaemun District prepares for the shop's lunch-hour operation, Nov. 2, 2024. The man has been running the store since the 1960s. Korea Times photo by Kim Tae-yeon
As of August last year, 1,537 dog meat farms across Korea — altogether housing roughly 466,000 dogs — had registered with the government and submitted plans to scale down operations and eventually shut down, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
By February, around 40 percent of those farms — housing approximately 151,000 dogs — had already shut down, and the ministry expects that number to rise to 60 to 70 percent by the end of the year.
However, this still leaves at least 315,000 dogs at risk of slaughter for the illegal dog meat trade or euthanized by local authorities.
Cheongju still has 35 dog meat farms in reportedly in operation, housing around 9,600 dogs. While the city government is working to save as many as possible, the public animal shelter is already overcrowded, holding 200 animals — 40 more than its maximum capacity.
Actor Daniel Henney helps rescue dogs at a dog meat farm in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Humane World for Animals
“The bill has been passed, but dogs are still being sacrificed and bred on farms like this. We have a year and nine months until (the law takes effect in) February 2027, and I think we need to keep watching the implementation of the bill on the ground,” Lee said.
“We’re running out of time, money, space and manpower. We can’t save them all, but I think we should keep working, discussing and trying ways to save as many lives as possible and turn toward a better path.”