South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in has banned the eating of dogs in the country, which has become a traditional practice in the Asian nation.
According to reports the President gave the order while being briefed by the prime minister on the government’s plan to improve the system to take care of abandoned pets.
Dogs were earlier legally considered livestock in South Korea. But with the emergence of animal rights movements and new animal protection laws, this status has been disputed, especially as dogs are increasingly being considered as pets.
The meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine with about one million dogs believed to be eaten annually, but consumption has declined as more people embrace dogs as companions rather than livestock.
The practice is now something of a taboo among younger generations and pressure from animal rights activists has also been mounting.