It never made sense to me how people could eat a dog, but I always figured it was a cultural thing - something done in other countries that we simply could never understand.
But there's a man in South Korea who's trying to buck the norm in a country where the practice of eating dog meat is considered the cuisine of the affluent.
Every weekend in Seoul, Lee Won-bok visits pedestrian malls and arranges graphic photos of dogs being hanged and butchered as they're prepared for market. He asks people to sign a petition that he can take to legislators to make sure they'll enforce national laws prohibiting the consumption of dog meat. For the most part, officials ignore the laws.
"People don't comprehend the suffering these dogs endure," Lee said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "They may vaguely realize that people still eat dogs. But they need to know what happens to the animals."
His campaign is gaining strength. As South Koreans have gradually embraced Western culture, more citizens have become dog owners and are choosing to oppose the practice of eating dog meat.
"Dog eating in Korea is not going to end in one day or one year," Lee said. "But it's only a matter of time."
The sooner the better.
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lesnoces
September 9, 2009, 10:20 am
I hope you are a vegetarian--otherwise, you're a total hypocrite.
bretpk
September 9, 2009, 10:30 am
Nice negative comment right out of the gate there, lesnoces! You're a real gem.
Ramona
September 9, 2009, 10:43 am
Tacoma, WA
I agree with bretpk. Lighten up lesnoces, I'm sure you wouldn't want to be put under the microscope and have what you do analyzed. At least Lee is advocating something POSITIVE. Half of my family resides in South Korea and to my knowledge have never partaken in dog eating, thankfully. But I've never understood it myself, just like eating guinea pigs and iguanas, it's a cultural thing. But I commend Lee for getting out in the streets in one of the busiest cities in South Korea. Knowledge is power and educating people on the inhumane practices of dog eating is the first step in finding a solution to the problem.
So, coming from a from a former vegetarian of 6 years who would NEVER eat domestic animals and who doesn't consider themselves a hyprocrite, I applaud you Lee for standing up for what you believe in and sharing that with others.
sherry
September 9, 2009, 10:43 am
a great place to start!!! now less negative remarks...and more back up
Jen
September 9, 2009, 10:54 am
Being a vegetarian has nothing to do with anything. That's the weirdest comparison I've ever heard. Glad this being addressed, really hard to believe this can happen anywhere.
Rita
September 9, 2009, 11:29 am
Seattle, WA
Seriously, you don't have to be a vegetarian to be an advocate for animals. You can eat meat and still support them being treated humanely. I personally don't understand eating meat at all but if you're going to, at least make sure you're supporting farmers who care about what they are doing and the animals they are raising. As far as dog-eating, props to Lee for caring enough to get out there and do something about it!
Edith
September 9, 2009, 11:40 am
Exactly. Being vegan or even vegetarian has nothing to do with it. This is about inhumanity, barbarism.
lee haskell
September 9, 2009, 1:35 pm
Charleston, SC
As a native Soth Korean, I am so relieved to hear that someone over there is being proactive about this issue. As a little girl, I used to walk to everywhere in Seoul. I remember taking a short cut down this alley one day and then this burning flesh smell started to permeate the air and it was the most sickening stench and made me gag the whole way. Later on, I found out that one of those "forbidden (to children) and never talked about DOG restaurants was located there! That was almost 40 years ago and my stomach still churns when I think of it. I know much as changed since I was there last. I hope enforcing the no dog eating law is one of them.
That might also explain why my house is home to my seven pets and I am lavished with unconditional love from all of them.
Barbara
September 9, 2009, 3:49 pm
Spokane, WA
How brave and admrable for this man to stand up for dogs amongst his countrymen who are sick enough to torture, then eat them! Kudos to Mr. Lee. And as for us here in the US, the best way to help this cause is to boycott EVERYthing made in Korea, and send the Korean officials word that you are doing so, and will encourage other Americans NOT to buy Korean, until this undescribable horror for these poor dogs ends. We have not bought anything Korean for years, ever since we first heard of this. Its not that hard. Just do your research on the products you purchase, and that especially includes cars! Buy American anyway people! Don't wait while these animals suffer! Act now!
marryrita
September 9, 2009, 5:39 pm
n,b
yes!Babara i think you think exactly like me on that subjet.me as a Canadien i too need to do what ever i can and ,oh i will.and at the olampics last years did ,i saw soupe made off dog brains did i heard right???and another meal they was selling and showed it on t,v i was apauled,i could not beileved that pples from here u,s,a,from everry where was there and absoutly did nothing ,man what is this world coming to,yuo,d think we,d be more advance by now!!!for god sake lets show this everrywhere we can,,and boycott the places whom eats dogs,i have 2 dogs they saved me,literraly.when will we stand for them,d those puppies dogs as ,a enteligence off a kid did u realized that and they,d give thier life to save u without a mili seconds.
Brenda
September 9, 2009, 7:15 pm
I agree with Rita....You don't have to be a vegetarian to be an advocate for animals. You can eat meat and still support them being treated humanely.... I personally do eat meat but I do make sure that I support farmers who care about what they are doing and the animals they are raising. If the food we eat is stressed then we are putting that same stress into our body. EAT HUMANELY TREATED MEAT.
kiran.rganta
September 11, 2009, 4:31 am
Good information.... Thanks for sharing
Kiran
http://www.adsglobe.com/pets/
Chandra
September 12, 2009, 2:19 am
I love dogs but Lesnoces is right! We're always up in arms for the torture of our domestic pets, but then will go and have a hamburger or bucket of chicken. All animals should be treated humanely. And not seeing that is just plain hypocritical.
mamarokie
September 13, 2009, 4:18 am
No puppies for me yuck!
QUESTION: Just because you are a vegetarian doesn't mean you are right and we the meat lovers are wrong.That is your choice and eating meat is ours so why do vegetarians always make comments about us?
ltr444
September 26, 2009, 1:44 pm
I hope people stop comparing chiken and pigs to slaughter of dogs for food, chicken, pigs and cows will always be a staple of regular diet, and it makes the argument null and void, you have to be an idiot to compare the two.__Most of these dogs are hanged, their heads smashed in or boiled alive, __You can not make the whole world vegetarian but you can stop the slaughter of dogs and cats for food.__As far as tradition argument that's a bunch of bull also, almost every primitive county where pets were introduced by travellers those pete were immidiately used for food regardless of the continent, the natives saw no value in the animal accept using it as food, because they were extremely stupid.__Hundreds of years ego the Spanish described small hairless dogs being sold in Mexico for meat, these dogs are now extinct, the Mexicans don't have a dog as part of their "traditional" diet anymore.__the only reason to continue consuming dogs in both china and korea is to exercise their sadistic tendencies and absolutely nothing else. __As long as you bring vegetarian comments into this there will be absolutely no progress in animal torture in china and korea.__
ltr444
September 26, 2009, 1:46 pm
hope people stop comparing chiken and pigs to slaughter of dogs for food, chicken, pigs and cows will always be a staple of regular diet, and it makes the argument null and void, you have to be an idiot to compare the two.__Most of these dogs are hanged, their heads smashed in or boiled alive, __You can not make the whole world vegetarian but you can stop the slaughter of dogs and cats for food.__As far as tradition argument that's a bunch of bull also, almost every primitive county where pets were introduced by travellers those pets were immidiately used for food regardless of the continent, the natives saw no value in the animal accept using it as food, because they were extremely stupid.__Hundreds of years ego the Spanish described small hairless dogs being sold in Mexico for meat, these dogs are now extinct, the Mexicans don't have a dog as part of their "traditional" diet anymore.__the only reason to continue consuming dogs in both china and korea is to exercise their sadistic tendencies and absolutely nothing else. __As long as you bring vegetarian comments into this there will be absolutely no progress in animal torture in china and korea
animalsrmyheart
September 29, 2009, 1:13 am
Lets educate the ignorant....aka the people eating dogs and cats. Have you ever seen what these animals go through in these countries? visit the humane society.com and you yourself can send the already pre-labeled letters to the goverment and proper officals in charge. ____This is a barbaric and sadistic act, if ever there was one. check out the website above. You can also pettition on care2.com under these topics and also for fur in china,korea as well since dogs and cats are used and skinned alive for fur in addittion to all the other animals. ____websites to check out. peta.com to show videos of this being done by a undercover investigator. ____Please help.....we need to work together to stop torture and inhumane treatment. Whether we eat meat or not..
animalsrmyheart
September 29, 2009, 1:15 am
go to:
peta.com
humanesociety.com
care2.com
and check out fur farms
and dog/cat eating .........
please get involved...the animals need us.
eunmishin
October 12, 2009, 4:40 pm
I'm a Korean American & vegetarian since 1992. Whenever sensational posts or articles about dog eating, I find it extremely hypocritical.
eunmishin
October 12, 2009, 4:48 pm
Okay. My post was cut off so I will try here again.
I'm a Korean American & vegetarian since 1992. Whenever sensational posts or articles about dog eating, I find it extremely hypocritical.
Koreans DO NOT EAT THEIR PET DOGS.
There are group of people, however, who raise a different breed of dogs for eating, just the way we raise cattle for consumption.
Also, Korean diet is mainly plant based with the main dish being rice. Side dishes are mostly green vegetables and stews with (very little meat). For example, if you are one of the rare people who eat dogs in Korea, you'd probably visit that type of restaurant no more than a couple of times a year (as it is considered a delicacy.) This is far from consuming a giant steak at every meal.
Now, my question is how is eating dogs that they raised for consumption any different than eating cows, pigs that Americans eat, that were raised for consumption.
As a vegetarian I'm against all killing, however, find this hypocrisy quite troubling.
twostars77
October 29, 2009, 9:53 pm
Milton, WI
I'm a little late in posting but....
La Ren
November 3, 2009, 9:50 am
Dogs are meant to be companions not cuisines! No animal deserves to have a painful death, I dont care what kind it is. How would you feel if that was your dog and your neighbor was eating it? These people disgust me!
