About 78 percent of dog breeding farms in South Korea have already shut down following the implementation of the law ending dog meat consumption, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Wednesday.
The ministry said closures are proceeding faster than initially expected based on an analysis of shutdown reports received through December last year, adding that the goal of ending dog meat consumption by February 2027 is on track to be achieved without delays.
Early closure incentives combined with active encouragement from local governments have prompted even farms that had planned later shutdown dates to participate in early closures, according to the ministry's analysis.
As of December 21, 125 farms with 47,544 dogs filed for closure during the third period (August 7 to December 21, 2025) through local governments, the ministry said. Since the dog meat ban took effect on August 7 last year, 1,204 of the country's 1,537 dog breeding farms have closed, representing approximately 78 percent.
Notably, farms originally scheduled to close in 2026-2027 are participating in early shutdowns. Of 636 farms scheduled to close after this year under the implementation plan, 337 farms, or 53 percent, have already completed closures this year. Among 507 farms scheduled to close during the final sixth period (September 22, 2026 to February 6, 2027), 264 farms, or 52 percent, have also completed early closures.
The ministry is working with local governments to expedite support procedures for farms that close early. It plans to provide loan support for constructing or renovating facilities and offer transition consulting for farms wishing to switch to raising other livestock. The ministry also said it will continuously monitor breeding trends, strengthen compliance checks on remaining farms to prevent resumption of breeding, and minimize the number of remaining dogs.
"We ask farms that have not yet closed to actively cooperate with government policies so that Korea can advance as a leading country in animal welfare through the early end of dog consumption," said Joo Won-chul, Director General for Animal Welfare and Environment Policy.