South Korea's largest dog meat market closed

Gupo, a popular market that sells dogs and frozen dog meat in Busan, was closed on July 1, following an agreement between local authorities and 19 vendors, according to the Humane Society International (HSI).

More than 80 dogs kept in iron cages at the market have been rescued and taken in by various animal charities. Under an urban development project, the area will be turned into a park after the closure of Gupo market.

During the 1970s and 1980s, when business was at its peak, the market had as many as 60 dog meat shops. Since the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the number of dog meat vendors has dwindled. Before the closure, only 17 stalls and two shops selling dog tonics remained in Gupo.

Gupo dogs are born and bred on farms for their meat. They live their entire lives in cages and are usually killed in just five minutes by electrocution. However, some dogs can take up to 20 minutes to die, and butchers often choose to hang them.

The closure of Gupo is another victory for South Korean activists in their long-running battle against the dog meat trade and consumption. In November 2018, the city of Seongnam also demolished South Korea’s largest dog slaughterhouse and closed most of its dog meat shops.

“I can’t express how happy I am to have helped close the dog meat shops and slaughterhouses in Gupo market,” said Nara Kim, an activist with HSI. “The closure of Gupo represents the end of a horrific chapter in South Korea’s dog meat history and a sign of an era where local officials and law enforcement are cracking down on an increasingly outdated industry that most South Koreans no longer support.”

Kim admits there is still a long way to go to completely eradicate the dog meat industry in Korea, but she is delighted with the new progress and especially the rescue of the remaining dogs in Gupo.

An activist caresses a rescued dog in Gupo on July 1. Photo: HSI

Koreans don’t eat dog meat often, but it’s popular in July and August when the weather is hot. They believe that bosintang, a soup made from dog meat, has a cooling and invigorating effect.

It is estimated that more than 2 million dogs are bred on thousands of farms across South Korea. However, a growing number of dog meat farmers are abandoning the controversial business in the face of public opposition.