Trustee Bright Thanked for Doc on Now-Banned Korean Dog Meat Industry

The breeding, killing and selling dogs for their meat will be banned in South Korea. And Board of Trustee Kevin Bright’s ’76 documentary had a hand in influencing the public’s view on eating dog meat.

“When Kevin Bright, director of the famous American show Friends, visited Korea last year for his film Nureongi, he sent me an email that said, ‘I hope the law you are trying to introduce will come to pass.’ I’m personally grateful that I am able to give him good news in the new year,” said Congresswoman Han Jeong-ae in announcing the passing of the act.

Under the new law, breeding, slaughtering, and selling dog meat for human consumption is now illegal. The bill also includes a three-year grace period ending in 2027. Anyone who kills a dog for human consumption could face three years in prison or a fine of about $23,000, according to The New York Times. There are no sanctions for anyone who consumes dog meat.

At the time of the documentary’s release, Bright said he was “very optimistic” that the film would start “a serious dialogue in South Korea around the dog meat industry and its future.”

Eating dog meat has become increasingly unpopular in South Korea, as 93 percent of people said they had no intention of eating dog meat, in one recent survey. Most young people find eating dog meat abhorrent, and it’s more of the older generations who still eat it.

The number of dogs being raised for human consumption varies depending on who’s counting. In 2022, about 520,000 dogs were being raised for human consumption on 1,150 farms, and about 1,600 restaurants were selling dog meat nationwide, according to lawmakers, which is a lot lower than in years past, reported The New York Times.