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Our Impact

South Korea’s Animal Protection Act has been in place since 1991.

In the past decade or so, public support for animal protection has increased, and the South Korean government has updated its animal protection legislation accordingly.

What we are working on

A huge win came in 2024, when the National Assembly announced a ban on the dog meat industry beginning in 2027. Now, Humane World for Animals is continuing work on the issue. To ensure the dog meat ban is effective, we’re increasing public support for the ban during the phase-out period. And we’re focused on humane management of the remaining dogs still in the industry.

There’s more work to be done—including promoting state-of-the-art science to replace animal testing in the country.

 

Rescuing a dog from a dog meat farm in South Korea

Jean Chung/For Humane World for Animals

Ending the dog meat trade

In the past, as many as 1 million dogs were raised, farmed and killed for human consumption each year in South Korea. Along with our partners, Humane World for Animals pushed for a ban for over a decade. Before the ban was passed, we helped close 18 farms and rescued more than 2,700 dogs, who found loving homes across the world, including in South Korea, the UK, Canada, the U.S. and the Netherlands.

Mouse in a lab

Brandon Laufenberg/iStock

Mice, rabbits and other animals suffer in labs worldwide.

Ending animal testing

We led a successful campaign to ban animal testing of cosmetics in South Korea, and we championed the addition of animal protective reforms to national laws governing the testing of chemicals and biocidal products. We’ve also negotiated changes to rules for vaccine testing that have spared thousands of animals from severe suffering and death in needless tests. Now, we’re supporting a groundbreaking new law that would require all government ministries to collaborate to develop and implement a roadmap for animal-free science.

Latest News

Jean Chung for HSI Dogs are shown locked in a cage at a dog meat farm in Hongseong, South Korea. The operation is part of HSI's efforts to fight the dog meat trade throughout Asia.
Le organizzazioni animaliste esortano il nuovo presidente della Corea del Sud Yoon Seok-yeol ad agire rapidamente e rispettare l’impegno preso per porre fine al crudele commercio di cani da carne

SEOUL—Le organizzazioni animaliste in Corea del Sud stanno esortando il neoeletto presidente Yoon Seok-yeol ad agire rapidamente per dare seguito al suo impegno preelettorale di porre fine all

South Korea
Animalisti coreani e HSI insieme per salvare 50 cani abbandonati in un allevamento di carne di cane dismesso

SEOUL—Diversi gruppi di attivisti coreani per la protezione degli animali hanno unito le forze per salvare 50 cani dall'eutanasia, dopo che l’allevamento nella città di Yongin dal quale provenivano

South Korea
Allevatore di cani da carne sudcoreano abbandona l’attività per coltivare ortaggi con l'aiuto e l'approccio pionieristico di Humane Society International

ROMA/SEOUL–Più di 70 cani sofferenti, trovati da Humane Society International in un allevamento di carne di cane della Corea del Sud, hanno avuto una seconda chance grazie alla decisione dell

South Korea

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Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals