South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said yesterday there might be a need to prohibit dog meat consumption amid debate over the controversial practice and growing awareness of animal rights.
While no longer as common as before, dog meat is eaten mainly by older people and is served in some restaurants and can be bought at specific markets.
Moon made the remarks after being briefed by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on efforts to improve the handling of abandoned animals and a mandatory registration system for dogs.
"After the briefing, he said time has come to carefully consider imposing a dog meat ban," Moon's spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said in a statement.
It was the first time that Moon raised a ban, which is likely to give fresh momentum to debate over whether to curtail the practice.
To boost their popularity, several presidential hopefuls have pledged to ban dog meat, as dogs have become popular as pets and advocacy groups have urged South Korea to close restaurants and markets selling dog meat.