How many dog farms have closed in South Korea since the dog meat ban began?

A total of 1,072 of South Korea’s 1,537 dog farms had closed within the first year after the ban took effect, representing 70 percent of the national total. The farms had raised 346,000 dogs.

What support does South Korea provide to people leaving the dog meat industry?

The legislation calls for subsidies to help people in the dog meat industry switch jobs. The agriculture ministry attributed the faster-than-expected closures partly to government incentives and rising public awareness about ending dog meat consumption.

What penalties will apply to South Korea’s dog meat ban after the grace period?

After the three-year grace period ends, beginning in 2027, people who breed, butcher, distribute or sell dogs for meat may face a maximum sentence of two years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won. The law bans all four activities.

70% of dog farms in Korea closed business in 1st year of dog meat ban: ministry

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Summary

South Korea’s agriculture ministry said 1,072 of the nation’s 1,537 dog farms had closed by Thursday, a year after the dog meat ban took effect. The closures involved 346,000 dogs, or 74 percent of the 468,000 dogs raised for meat nationwide. More than 75 percent of farms are expected to close by the end of 2025. The law provides job-transition subsidies and imposes penalties from 2027 after a three-year grace period.

Key Facts

The special legislation prohibits breeding, butchering, distributing and selling dogs for meat.
The 1,072 shuttered farms represented 70 percent of all dog farms registered nationwide.
Violators from 2027 may face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,753).

By Yonhap

Published Aug 14, 2025 9:37 am KST

Dogs sit in wire cages at a dog farm awaiting rescue in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, May 8. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

Seven out of 10 dog farms in Korea have closed their doors since the country enacted a law banning dog meat consumption a year earlier, the agriculture ministry said Thursday.

Of a total of 1,537 dog farms nationwide, 1,072, or 70 percent, have shut down their operations since the special bill on banning dog meat consumption took effect in August last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The shuttered farms had raised 346,000 dogs, which account for 74 percent of the 468,000 dogs raised for meat across the country.

By the end of 2025, more than 75 percent of the farms are expected to have closed their doors, according to the ministry.

A ministry official said the closure rate was higher than expected thanks to growing public awareness that it is the "task of this generation" to end dog meat consumption and government incentives.

The special legislation bans the breeding, butchering, distributing and selling of dogs for meat. It also calls for subsidies to help people in the dog meat industry switch jobs.

Following a three-year grace period, violators of the law will face a maximum sentence of two years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,753), starting in 2027.

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