After the closure of South Korea’s largest dog meat market last November, another dog meat farm is now closing in an effort to stop the dog meat trade in the country.
The closure of Gupo, one of the largest dog meat farms in South Korea, is the latest in a series of crackdowns by the officials after Seoul mayor Park Won-soon vowed to shut down all the dog farms or butchery shops in South Korea.
Gupo, which is located in Busan, is one of the notorious meat markets in the country. They serve chilled dog flesh and even keep the live dogs in cages to slaughter them when ordered.
Local authorities and the government officials have finally agreed to shut down 19 dog meat sellers at the Gupo Livestock Market next month. The market will be turned into a public park as part of an urban planning project.
“We very much welcome the agreement reached to close Gupo market, home to one of the largest dog meat markets in South Korea,” Nara Kim, from the Humane Society International, said in a statement.
“The closure plan is the result of months of hard work between the local authorities and the market vendors, and both sides are to be commended for working towards this goal that will not only bring to an end to Gupo’s dog meat ear, but will also see the area regenerated with new amenities and businesses for the benefit of the local, modern economy,” she added.
According to Daily Mail, close to two million dogs are killed from dog meat farms across South Korea, which is the only country known to house and take dogs for human consumption.
Most dogs were stolen from their owners and are kept in the dog farms before being slaughtered. They are often killed by electrocution and hanging.
Dog meat is often used for Korea’s popular soup, bosintang, which is believed to improve stamina and virility.
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