ISTANBUL

The South Korean parliament on Tuesday passed a law to ban trade of dog meat by 2027.

There were 208 votes in favor and two abstentions for the bill, which bans the breeding, butchering, distributing and selling of dogs for meat, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.

Law enforcement will begin in 2027, and violators could face a maximum two years of prison sentence or a fine of up to 30 million won ($22,768).

The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party had jointly pushed for the ban, as dog meat is said to have fallen out of favor with diners over the past few decades.​​​​​​​