Dawn in the
capital of South Korea and 5 News' Mark Jordan
starts an investigation that may leave you wondering if
this city called Seoul really has a heart. 
Mr. Yang, a Korean animal welfare worker prepares his camera. It first captures a British RSPCA inspector and me, posing as tourists with our own camcorder.
The terrified howls guide us to one of the many dog meat markets in this rich city. They have been pressed into tiny mesh cages. Still alive, they are a world away from the nations and people that consider this to be man's best friend.
City restaurateurs pick their dogs.
Cats and kittens, meanwhile, will be boiled alive for
medicine.
Think back to the last animal cruelty story that shocked or horrified you and it probably involved just one creature. But right here in South Korea, more than two million cats and dogs each year are brutally killed - and the suffering is all part of the process.
They believe that if the dog is terrified, the rush of adrenaline will make the meat taste better. Many Korean men think eating it improves their sexual performance.
The dogs will not go short on fear. They are often killed in front of the others. Their freshly butchered meat traded just feet from those still alive.
The RSPCA's worst fears are
confirmed. The only sensitivity here is when foreigners
try to film.
"The animals are clearly so aware of what is happening," an RSPCA spokesman told us. "The dogs see fellow dogs being slaughtered. They smell, they hear the sounds, they sense everything. And every dog owner knows how sensitive a dog can be, and these dogs are no different."
Although bred on farms or rounded up as strays, if you offer a hand they act like any other gentle dog. There are Korean tears, but the small animal rights movement here can do little but weep by the cages.
"They are going to die very soon, but they are very trusting," said one local activist. "I cannot believe this.
"I am always horrified - and it never gets better. Every time I come here to investigate it is always getting worse. The numbers are always increasing, so I am really, really sad. I am heartbroken."
"Wake up Wake up - I am asking the whole world to wake up for the World Cup, so that hopefully the Korean government will listen to this issue."
Dog meat is now more popular than
lamb in Korea. Once only a famine food, now it is a multi-million
pound industry. Officially it is illegal, but no one
enforces the law.
When I asked one butcher did he never worry about the dogs suffering, he responded by saying I had no respect for his culture. "They are only animals," he said, "just like you eat cows in the West."
As co-hosts of World Cup 2002, one can only imagine what Western visitors will think of the rich, modern capital city that terrorizes what we call man's best friend, so that he tastes better.
How you can help
Boycott all Korean goods. Export contributes significantly to
Korea's economy. Profits come mainly from cars (Hyundai, Kia and
Daewoo), but a more than significant factor comes from computer
equipment, televisions and other electrical manufacturers, such as
Samsung. Clothing, textiles, and footwear
additionally contribute substantially. Contact both the manufacturers
and the Korean Government explaining why you have decided to buy goods
made elsewhere.
Contact sponsors of the 2002 World Cup
informing them that you are not prepared to buy their goods while they
are lending credence to, and supporting the economy of, the South Korean
Govt.
Email
Mr
Jospeh Blatter, President of FIFA, urging him to continue to put
pressure on South Korea. Feel free to use this
sample letter
or to write your own.
Lobby your government to express your anger and demand the
suspension of foreign aid to Korea until they enforce their existing
laws.
Contact the Korean Embassy in your country, the Korean President,
and members of the Korean National Assembly to express your concern and
revulsion. You may receive a form letter in reply. Respond to this by
questioning the statements in it. Click here for a
sample letter
to the Korean President.
Visit International Aid for Korean Animals' web site (IAKA). With
their sister arm, the Korean Animal Protection Society, they are
dedicated solely to ending the torture of cats and dogs in Korea. You
can also download and print their petition (for circulation at your
workplace etc) from the Petition page on this site. Contact them and
they will mail you an info pack.
Sign the Petition online on the Petition page.
Webmasters, please link this site to yours. This cause needs as
much publicity as possible. Banners are available on the Links page.
Protest addresses and links
Korean
Update 09/08/01 Korean g
In the UK, the address of the Korean Embassy is 60 Buckingham Gate,
London SW1E 6AJ, or click
to send an email. World wide, a list of addresses is available at
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/korea1.htm
The address of the President of Korea is President Kim,Dae-Jung, Blue
House, 1 Sejong-ro, Chongro-Gu, Seoul, South Korea, 110-050. Click
to email.
The Prime Minister's address is Prime Minister Lee,Han-Dong, 106
Samchung-dong Chongno-gu, Seoul, or click
to email. Both the President and the PM should be addressed as "Your
Excellency".
Kim,Hong-Shin (the proposer of the bill to legalise the slaughter of
dogs) and four of his supporters ( Kim Moon Soo, Jung Eu Hwa, Sin Ki
Nam, Gwun Oh Eul) can all be emailed at once by clicking
here.
These email addresses are for the Ministers of
Agriculture
,Health
& Welfare , and
Environment.
16 senior National Assemblymen can be emailed by clicking
here. These are all Chairmen of various committees. This list will grow
as we obtain more addresses.
"Letters to The Editor" should be emailed to the
Korea
Herald newspaper.
UK and USA
A list of UK MP's and their email addresses is available at
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/area/uk/mps.htm Letters for all MPs
should be sent to House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
In the US, visit IAKA's page
for lists of contact addresses for Representatives and Senators. They
also have sample letters of protest.
TO Join the
Updates List Click HERE
and sign up at bottom of the page you are redirected to. THANK YOU!
Links:
http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/korea/korean.html
Tel for in the UK for WSPA, World Society for the Protection of Animals 020 7793 0540
