American actress and singer Kim Basinger on Friday urged South Korea to stop dog meat consumption, joining a protest organized by a local animal rights group.

“It (South Korea) is the only country that raises dogs for consumption. You have companion animals here as well. … It boggles the mind that you can raise them to eat for human consumption and then you walk them,” Basinger said at a press conference Thursday.

“I chose Seoul because you have a great opportunity to ring a bell throughout the world,” she added.

The 65-year-old celebrity took part in a protest organized by the group Animal Liberation Wave on Friday and pushed for the passage of legislation that prohibits the slaughter of non-livestock animals.

The protest, in front of the National Assembly in western Seoul, coincided with Chobok, which marks the start of the hottest period in the summer in the Korean calendar.

Although the eating of dog meat is in decline, traditionally, samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, and bosintang, or dog meat soup, were two dishes consumed on Chobok to prepare for the hot days ahead.

In June last year, Rep. Pyo Chang-won of the ruling Liberty Korea Party proposed an amendment to minimize the killing of livestock. If passed, slaughter of dogs would not be allowed as dogs are not classified as livestock. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)