Dog Meat Restaurant Owners Take Legal Action Ahead of Ban's Enactment

With the enforcement of the Special Act on the End of Dog Meat Consumption (Dog Meat Consumption End Act) scheduled for February next year, it has been confirmed that operators in the so-called "Boshin-tang" industry have filed administrative lawsuits against local governments seeking compensation for business losses.

According to local governments and the legal community in Daejeon today (August 20), six dog meat restaurant owners in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, filed a lawsuit with the Daejeon District Court on the 24th of last month against the head of Daedeok-gu Office, seeking the cancellation of the disposition rejecting the payment of business loss compensation.

They reportedly argued that since the Dog Meat Consumption End Act practically strips them of their business rights built over several years to decades, authorities should calculate and pay separate, fair compensation in addition to the closure or transition support funds offered.

Such legal moves were observed not only in Daedeok-gu but also in four out of the five autonomous districts in Daejeon, including Yuseong-gu (4 plaintiffs), Dong-gu (3 plaintiffs), and Jung-gu (1 plaintiff).

According to court case record search sites, there are at least 14 plaintiffs.

These lawsuits have been assigned to the 1st and 2nd Administrative Divisions of the Daejeon District Court.

The core of the Dog Meat Consumption End Act is to ban the breeding, raising, or slaughter of dogs for consumption, as well as the distribution and sale of food cooked or processed using dogs or dog ingredients as raw materials.

Slaughtering dogs for consumption is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won, while breeding, raising, or distributing them is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won.

The law also requires dog farm owners, dog meat slaughter and distribution merchants, and restaurant owners to report their facilities and business details to the heads of local governments, and includes provisions for the national or local governments to support the closure or career transition of reporting businesses.

Regarding the implementation of this law, which passed the National Assembly in 2024, authorities provided a three-year grace period until February 2027.

This is to give the industry sufficient time to prepare for business closures or transitions.

Local governments have also stated their policy to minimize the shock to restaurant owners and others by focusing on a soft landing and industrial transition rather than an abrupt maintenance of the industry.

According to the Basic Plan for Ending Dog Meat Consumption announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in October 2024, the law bans the breeding, slaughter, distribution, and sales of dogs for consumption starting February 2027, creating an obligation for currently operating businesses to transition or close.

Under the regulations, business owners who close down are supported with up to 4 million won for store demolition and restoration costs, while those changing their menu or the type of meat they handle receive up to 2.5 million won.

However, Daejeon autonomous districts noted that some restaurant owners had previously filed civil petitions demanding separate business loss compensation, arguing that current support measures are not enough.

In response, the responsible departments rejected the related payments because there is no explicit provision in the special act requiring separate compensation for business losses, prompting dissatisfied owners to fight back through administrative lawsuits.

An official from a local government in Daejeon said, "We have provided the maximum administrative assistance within the support criteria," adding, "It is difficult to accept demands outside of regulations that require pouring in public tax money during the process of implementing a law enacted for public purposes and social consensus."

Furthermore, since the basis for licensing and permits in the dog meat business has been weak, it is projected to be difficult to directly apply the legal principles of loss compensation for conventional infringement of business rights.

Such lawsuits are reportedly taking place not only in Daejeon but also in other regions across the country.

The legal representatives for the plaintiffs in the Daejeon region have been confirmed to be a major law firm with its main office in Seoul.

Each autonomous district in Daejeon stated that they will actively handle the lawsuits by appointing legal counsel.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.