South Korea's parliament has passed a bill to ban production and sales of dog meat.

South Koreans have long eaten dog meat, which some people in the country consider nutritious.

But the practice has drawn criticism from the West and, recently, South Koreans who are increasingly mindful of animal welfare.

President Yoon Suk-yeol's wife Kim Keon-hee, who is known as a dog lover, is among those who have been calling for a ban on dog meat.

The bill passed on Tuesday bans breeding dogs for eating, processing their meat, and serving it for human consumption.

Violators would be sentenced to up to three years in prison or fined 30 million won, or about 22,800 dollars.

The legislation will take effect after a three-year grace period out of consideration for the dog meat industry.

South Korean media say there are about 1,100 dog farmers across the country, and some 1,600 eateries that serve dog meat.

The focus is on how the government would respond to a demand for compensation by the industry.