Man under investigation for slaughtering over 120 dogs using electric shock

Puppies born in cages at a dog farm look out through metal bars in this photo, which is not directly related to the case. Courtesy of Humane Society International

Police in South Korea are investigating a man in his 60s who allegedly slaughtered more than 120 dogs at a livestock facility using an electric stun device — a method considered illegal under the country’s animal protection laws.

According to the Gunsan Police Department on Wednesday, the suspect was booked without detention for violating the Animal Protection Act. Police say he killed the dogs around April at a dog farm in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province.

He allegedly brought the dogs from another farm in Gimje and kept them at his facility before slaughtering them and storing the carcasses in a freezer. Police, acting on a tip, found numerous dog remains at the site along with an electric stun device believed to have been used in the killings.

“We are looking into whether the dogs were slaughtered for consumption or sale,” a police official said. “Once the investigation is complete, we will decide whether to forward the case to prosecutors.”

The case comes amid South Korea’s evolving legal landscape regarding dog meat. A special law aimed at ending the dog meat industry passed the National Assembly in January 2024 and was enacted the following month. However, penalties for raising, slaughtering, distributing or selling dogs for food are under a three-year grace period and will not take effect until 2027.

Still, the man may face punishment under existing animal cruelty laws. The Animal Protection Act prohibits slaughtering animals in a cruel or repulsive manner. In a landmark 2018 ruling, South Korea’s Supreme Court determined that killing animals with electric shock devices — commonly known as the “electric stun method” — constitutes a cruel practice banned by law.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.