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Villagers seek apology over false dog slaughter claims

Published: 25 Aug. 2025, 14:48 Updated: 25 Aug. 2025, 18:09

A dog with a severe head injury was rescued from a street in Naju, South Jeolla, on July 31. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Residents of Naju, South Jeolla, have filed a defamation suit against an animal rights group that claimed on social media that the village attempted to slaughter a dog ahead of boknal, Korea's three hottest days of summer based on the lunar calendar.

According to a report by News1 on Monday, the heads of village councils in Geumcheon-myeon, Naju filed a complaint with the police, accusing an animal rights group, the name of which has not been disclosed, of posting false information and damaging the village’s reputation.

The residents said that no act of dog slaughter had taken place, but the animal rights group made it appear as if animal cruelty had occurred.

The incident dates back to July 31, when a male dog with a severe head injury was found on a road in Naju. The city’s stray animal center rescued the dog and transferred it to a veterinary clinic for treatment.

Upon learning of the case, the animal rights group suspected that the animal had been abused for dog meat consumption and posted the claim on social media.

“On July 31, the day after jungbok [the second day of boknal], a shocking and brutal incident took place in a village in Naju, South Jeolla,” the group wrote. “A dog that had been struck multiple times on the head with a hammer escaped and appeared in the village covered in blood.”

“The dog collapsed in a comatose state, with severe swelling in its head. We are trying to find the person who attempted to kill the dog and are raising funds for its medical expenses.”

The group also claimed, “Blunt force trauma around boknal is almost always associated with dog meat slaughter. The use of a hammer rather than an electric shock device is strong evidence that this was not done in a licensed slaughterhouse, but by someone in a rural village attempting to kill the dog in secret.”

The post sparked public outrage against the residents. However, a police investigation later concluded that the dog's injuries were the result of a fight with other dogs in the early hours of the morning.

The residents are demanding an apology and the removal of the post, saying the group’s speculative claims have severely damaged the reputation of their village.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]