An update on the great news from last year!

In January 2024, the South Korean government passed a law banning the sale and production of dog meat. The law will take effect in 2027 following a three-year grace period. Violators of the law could face up to three years in prison, or a maximum fine of 30 million won. According to the Agriculture Ministry, they will provide full support to farmers, butchers, and other businesses facing closures from the law. The government also plans to assist in rehoming nearly half a million dogs bred for food. The government will also provide subsidies and incentives to support dog farmers in transitioning away from the practice.

I was worried when the new president, Lee Jae-Myoung, was elected following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-Yeol (who had introduced and passed the 2024 law banning dog meat). I was happy to find that the new President is trying very hard to close the dog markets by the 2027 deadline, and the government is offering incentives to dog farmers who close their businesses sooner. Additionally, President Lee Jae-Myoung actively sought to ban dog meat and successfully closed the Sungnam dog market (the largest in Korea), during his tenure as Governor of Gyeonggi Province. I am glad to hear the government is actively supporting the new law and working to meet the deadline.

2025 is in the middle of the phase-out period, and it is an important time for continued advocacy and support. According to The Korea Times, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reports that of a total of 1,537 dog farms nationwide, 1,072 (or 70%) have shut down operations since the new law was passed. These shuttered farms had raised 346,000 dogs, accounting for about 74% of the 468,000 dogs previously raised for meat nationwide.

While these closures mark significant progress, there is still much work to be done to ensure these animals are protected and cared for. Supporting and funding shelters that take in dogs rescued or confiscated from the meat trade must be an integral part of the phaseout efforts. These shelters not only provide vital care and rehabilitation but also play a crucial role in finding adoptive homes for rescued animals. Adoption is still not widely practiced in Korea, and several shelters have been sending many rescued dogs and cats to countries like the US, Canada, and Europe.  To ensure lasting success, there must be a strong focus on education and building a culture of adoption – where adopting dogs from shelters is normalized and widely supported. My hope is that Rebel Rescue South Korea and Hug Me Shelters will be able to help facilitate the adoptions of these dogs and cats from dog meat farms!

Thank you for all your support!

Wishing You a Happy and Peaceful Holiday.

Kyenan Kum
IAKA Founder 

We printed our newsletter in limited numbers this year. I thought the 2024 newsletter would be the last printed one and would be available only online, but later we realized many supporters don’t have online access.

Shelter News

Hug Me Shelter and Rebel Rescue South Korea Shelter are working the hardest to rescue/adopt, but getting enough funds is difficult. Please help these two shelters. 

Hug Me Shelter rescued 21 dogs and adopted 24 dogs in the last year!

Please help Hug Me Shelter with your donation:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hugmeshelter
PayPal:  hug-me-shelter@naver.com
Website: Hugmeshelter.org

Beka, an Old English Sheepdog, the deaf dog, was chained as a yard dog and lived her entire life on her own urine and feces.

Beka (deaf)- adopted by Kim, Taehoon & Park
Wonjung from Suwon City, South Korea

Jangsu adopted by Emma Lockie Ferre from Barcelona, Spain 

Komi – Lukas Piskolín
Bukovany Karlovarsk,
Czech Republic                                               

Please help Rebel Rescue South Korea by donation

Website: https://rebelrescuesk.com/about/
Contact: rebelrescuesk@gmail.com 

I received a lovely letter from Robin, the Director of Rebel Rescue – so this year I thought I’d share it with all of you and let her update you in her own words

RRSK: Rebel Rescue South Korea

Another year has really flown by! The shelter has kept us busy, but we’re grateful for how far we’ve come despite the ongoing challenges with funding and fundraising, especially amid the government shutdown, which is leaving many of our donors with financial insecurity going into the holiday season and preventing us from sending dogs to the United States at the moment.

On to good news—we’re very excited to share that we are approaching our goal of 500 adoptions in five years. By the end of this calendar year, we hope to reach that milestone — we’re currently at 472 total adoptions (91 cats and 381 dogs). It’s been such a rewarding journey since Rebel Rescue South Korea officially became an organized volunteer group in 2020, and later a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in January 2021. Each adoption, big or small, brings us closer to our vision of giving every rescued animal a second chance and a loving family.

This year, we’re happy to share that 39 cats and 39 dogs have been adopted – in Korea, in the United States, in Belgium, and in Japan. Our global reach seems to get larger every year. This is also our first year with as many cat adoptions as dog adoptions! At the shelter, we’ve built two dedicated rooms just for cats, where they’re cared for daily by a wonderful team of rotating volunteers. The rooms are equipped with climbing trees, shelves, and plenty of toys to keep them active and happy. They also have heated floors for the winter and large windows perfect for birdwatching, which the cats enjoy!

We truly believe this success with cat adoption is thanks to our new facility and the incredible socialization they receive from our volunteer team. Their care, attention, and daily interaction have made such a difference in helping our cats become more confident and ready for adoption. I’ve attached some photos of the cats and their facility at the shelter.

One of the most touching stories this year was that Kenny finally found his home. I rescued him from the Cheonan city shelter in August 2021, before it closed and moved to a new facility. Kenny’s intake date was sometime in 2018, so he had already spent 3 years in a shelter when we got him in 2021. He spent another 4 years with us, becoming a senior dog with the gentlest demeanor. This summer, his dream finally came true when he was adopted by a wonderful family in the United States. He flew home on July 30th and has been adjusting beautifully to home life — enjoying soft beds, long walks, and plenty of love. Seeing him finally experience comfort and belonging reminds us why we do this work and gives hope for other senior dogs still waiting for their chance. I’ll attach some photos of Kenny from his big travel day.

We’ve also been actively participating in TNR efforts in our local Pyeongtaek community, helping dozens of community cats receive care and sterilization, including those around our shelter.

New Cat shelter