SEOUL, March 26. /TASS/. The Korean Dog Meat Producers Association has petitioned the Constitutional Court of South Korea following the ban on slaughtering dogs and selling their meat, Yonhap agency reported.

According to activists, the law restricts "freedom of food choice and profession," as well as rights related to private property. They are requesting that this law not be enforced. In January, the National Assembly of South Korea passed a law that prohibits breeding dogs for their meat, their slaughter, sale, and consumption of meat. Its provisions will come into full force in 2027 - then the prescribed punishments will be applied. Violating the law could result in up to two years of imprisonment or a fine of $22,300.

"The parliament and the government passed a law banning dog meat without any prior consultations or promises of compensation, forcing us to cease operations within three years. It has been almost 50 days since the law was passed, but the government has not provided any means of compensation or criteria for assistance. We are on the verge of being left out on the street," said one member of the association.

The legislative ban on selling and eating dog meat received support from the ruling party "Civil Force" and the leading opposition Democratic Party "Toburo." Media reports note that consuming dog meat is not very popular in South Korea. According to the results of a public opinion survey published on January 8 by animal rights organization AWARE, 93% of respondents stated that they do not plan to eat dog meat in the future. 82% supported the ban on selling dog meat. The survey was conducted in December with the participation of 2,000 respondents.

According to authorities, there were about 1,150 dog breeding farms, some 34 dog slaughterhouses, and around 1,600 public catering establishments serving dog meat currently operating in South Korea.