The generational element is particularly important.
For older South Koreans who grew up when dog meat was more familiar, the practice could be understood as part of traditional food culture.
For many younger South Koreans, however, the idea of eating dogs became increasingly difficult to reconcile with the role dogs play as pets.
This did not mean every South Korean opposed dog meat.
The country has never been culturally uniform on the issue.
But surveys and declining consumption indicated a broad movement away from the practice.
Humane World for Animals reported in its 2025 review of the campaign that 86% of South Koreans surveyed said they rejected dog meat. That figure comes from an animal-welfare organization rather than the government, so it should be understood in that context.
The broader trend, however, is consistent with the government's description of a shrinking industry.
The market was becoming smaller even before the law made its eventual closure mandatory.
Animal-Welfare Campaigners and Years of Pressure
International and domestic animal-welfare organizations played a significant role in bringing attention to the issue.
Humane Society International, now Humane World for Animals, has campaigned in South Korea for years, including efforts to rescue dogs from farms and help farmers transition into other businesses.
The organization described the 2024 legislation as the culmination of nearly a decade of campaigning.
Campaigners argued that dogs raised for meat were often kept in conditions that caused suffering and that slaughter practices raised serious welfare concerns.
Those claims became an important part of the public debate.
Animal-welfare organizations also worked directly with some farmers, attempting to create alternatives to the dog-meat business rather than simply demanding immediate closure.
That approach became increasingly relevant once the government established a formal transition period.
What Happens to the Dogs?
One of the most difficult questions surrounding the phase-out is what happens to the dogs remaining on farms.
The government has acknowledged that the transition involves hundreds of thousands of animals.
In 2024, South Korean authorities announced plans to support the rehoming of nearly half a million dogs bred for food and to provide incentives to farmers who surrendered animals as their businesses closed. Reuters reported that the government was considering financial support and adoption measures as part of the transition.
That presents a logistical challenge.
South Korea already has animal shelters and rescue organizations, but the sudden arrival of very large numbers of dogs would put substantial pressure on those systems.
Animal-welfare groups have therefore emphasized that closing farms is only one part of the process.
The animals themselves must also be cared for.
Some need medical treatment.
Some require rehabilitation.
Some have never experienced normal human companionship.
And not every rescued dog can immediately be placed in a household.
Farmers Facing an Uncertain Future
The end of the industry also affects people.
Thousands of individuals and businesses have historically been connected to dog farming, slaughtering, distribution or restaurants.
For them, the legislation represents a forced economic transition.
Some farmers have welcomed government support.
Others have opposed the ban, arguing that the state should not eliminate a traditional industry through legislation.
Dog farmers protested proposed restrictions before the law was passed, and some industry representatives expressed concern about their livelihoods and the fate of their animals.
The government's transition program was therefore intended not only to end the industry but also to make the economic adjustment more manageable.
That included financial assistance and incentives for businesses that voluntarily closed before the legal deadline.
Closing documented the changing atmosphere around Daegu's former dog-meat market and reported the broader and international visitors, some of these markets became symbols of a practice Farms Before the Deadline
The strategy appears to have accelerated the industry's decline.
In May 2026, South Korea's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that 82% of dog-meat breeding farms had already closed.
That means the transformation was happening substantially ahead of the February 2027 legal deadline.
The government has been encouraging remaining operators to close early.
The goal is to avoid a situation in which thousands of animals and businesses remain active until the final day and then suddenly have to shut down.
A gradual transition allows authorities to monitor closures, provide financial assistance and coordinate the treatment or rehoming of animals.
It also gives former industry workers more time to establish new sources of income.
A Changing Urban Landscape
The decline of dog meat can also be seen in South Korea's cities.
Markets that once had clusters of dog-meat restaurants have changed as demand declined.
Reuters documented the changing atmosphere around Daegu's former dog-meat market and reported the broader decline of the industry.
For younger residents and international visitors, some of these markets became symbols of a practice that was increasingly disappearing.
The change was not necessarily sudden.
Restaurants closed as customers disappeared.