South Korea

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. 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.

What we are working on

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.

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Brandon Laufenberg/iStock

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.

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