Members of animal rights group Coexistance of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) hold a rally to protest the consumption of dog meat at Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, on July 18, which was “chobok,” one of the three hottest days of the year. The protestors painted their bodies red and blue — the colors symbolizing the “taegeuk” mark on the Korean national flag — signifying that Korea should abolish the culinary tradition.
/ Courtesy of CARE |
By Bahk Eun-ji, Jung Min-ho, Kim Bo-eun
“Park, Park, wherever you may be, you might eat dogs in your own country, but it could be worse, you could be Scouse, eating rats in a council house (Liverpool).”
This chant is heard from jeering football fans in England when Park Ji-sung, who has joined QPR from Manchester United, is on the ball, and underscores the image of Korea as a nation that enjoys eating dog meat.
Although the chief target of the song is Liverpool, it’s fairly clear that the song is based on the perceived notion that Koreans are uncivilized because they eat dogs.
Koreans’ consumption of dog meat can be traced back to ancient times. Although no one knows exactly when the practice began, some historical clues like a 1,500-year old mural in South Hwangghae Province provides a glimpse of how long it has been a custom of people in this country.
The long-established eating of dog meant first encountered a serious challenge when the government left dogs off the list of animals governed by the Sanitary Process of Livestock Products Act in 1978 because of mounting opposition to it as the nation sought to host major international sports events such as the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
“That was the point when controversy over the eating of dog meat began to surface,” said Choi Young-in, secretary general of Korean Dog Meat Association (KDMA). “From that point on, a culture of keeping pets also started to spread across the nation, and people began to distinguish dogs from other animals.”
Since then, the argument concerning the culture of eating dog meat has reached a point at which more people see it as an uncivilized and barbaric custom that has to be stopped somehow.
Although many arguments from animal rights activists against animal slaughter sound legitimate, the bone of contention still lies in whether dogs should be considered as “special” animals that deserve treatment different to others.
How much does the eating of dog meat differ from eating pork, beef or chicken?
Those against eating dog meat say dogs are closer to human beings and that they are more intelligent than the other animals we consume as food.
Closest Companions
As our closest companions, the consumption of dogs should be banned, said Park So-youn, head of the Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE), a domestic animal activist group.
“Times change and cultures change. Today we are living in a society in which dogs have become companions. They are like family members. Therefore eating them can no longer be acceptable,” said Park.
Although people say that there are those that are bred specifically for the purpose of being eaten, other dogs often end up being killed for the same reason, she said.
“Most female dogs at breeding farms that become infertile end up being killed for consumption. Ailing dogs at pet stores or dogs at centers for abandoned animals also suffer the same fate, because euthanizing them costs money,” said Park.
According to CARE, there are around 10 million pet dogs and approximately 4 million households which own these dogs across the nation.
“When I say we should stop killing dogs for meat consumption purposes, it doesn’t mean that killing and eating cows, pigs and chicken is okay,” she said. “I think humanity should gradually reduce its consumption of meat, but dog meat should be the first to be banned, since dogs are our closest companions.”
Some people say that many cases of abuse take place at dog farms and butchers, because dogs are not registered as livestock and therefore the government is unable to monitor how they are cared for and eventually processed.
The group staged a protest opposing the consumption of dog meat at Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, July 18. That day was “chobok,” or one of the three hottest days of the year when dog meat is popularly consumed as stamina food to help people endure the heat.
The members will also hold another protest rally at Moran Market in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, one of the nation’s largest dog meat markets, this Saturday, the second of the three dog days.
A butcher was recently booked on charges of injecting water into the veins of dogs in order to increase their weight. And at dog farms, dogs are crammed into and confined to tiny pens, where they end up biting and injuring each other.
“Unlike cows, pigs and chickens which are peaceful grass-eating creatures, dogs are relatively more aggressive, and therefore keeping them in pens is inappropriate,” said Park. “Moreover, outbreaks of diseases that have been occurring at livestock farms are also likely to break out at dog farms because dog viruses also exist.”
But above all, the reason that Park opposes the idea is that once they are registered as livestock, they are no longer regarded as animals and are destined to live miserable lives until slaughtered.
“Livestock become an exception to animal rights,” said Park. “That is why dogs cannot be registered as livestock. The only way to really care about dogs is to ban consumption of their meat,” she said.
Cultural relativism
Since the argument between former French actress and fashion model Brigitte Bardot and a premier broadcast announcer Son Seok-hee stirred up a huge debate among Koreans across the country, the issue has entered a new phase.
Now, the argument over eating dog meat is situated between two cultural standpoints. One is cultural relativism; the other universal ethics concerning animal welfare.
People who eat dogs argue that there is little difference between dogs and cows, pigs or chickens that people commonly consume.
“Those who keep insisting dog should not be eaten because they are companion animals, should be aware how cows and pigs are slaughtered first before criticizing Koreans,” said Phoebe Merkel Kim, a Korean American web designer.
She said if someone wants to condemn those people for eating dog meat, they have to criticize those people who eat other types of meat too.
“Besides, some forms of food eaten in other societies could be considered barbarous, too. Foie gras and shark’s fin are also cruelly sourced food for me, as those animals are also abused in order to be eaten,” she said.
Some also side with dog eaters as long as the dogs are raised on farms for the purpose of being eaten.
“Personally I have no problem with the consumption of dog meat, provided the animals are raised specifically for that purpose. Just because some dogs are kept as companion animals, it doesn't mean that others cannot be used for food purposes. Some people keep pigs and cows as pets,” said Said Yum Sang-min, a marketing director of a company based in Seoul.
Yum understands the viewpoints of those who are against all meat consumption. If someone says it’s wrong to eat all kinds of meat, then he can respect their views.
However, he cannot understand people who freely eat other meat such as beef, pork, and chicken, but who say it's morally wrong to eat dog.
“There are many studies that show pigs to be very intelligent animals. How is it any different?” he said.
Yum said it obviously can be a government regulation issue, as some facilities where animals are raised before consumption are unsanitary and even abusing animals. In that sense, it is the government’s job to ensure that proper standards are kept, he said.
“I think more than anything, people are against eating dog because of emotional ties. There is absolutely no logic in singling out dog meat whatsoever. It's a purely emotional reaction.” Yum said.
Some other advocates for dog meat eating say that it is unfair that animal rights groups target only dog meat eaters.
Choi, the secretary general of the KDMA, said, “What frustrates me the most is the fact that organizations that are supposed to protect rights of all animals only or especially raise their voices when it comes to dogs. It just seems like they make fuss out of dogs because relatively fewer people eat them compared to other meat sources such as chickens and cows.”
Instead offering answers to questions such as why dogs deserve special treatments over other animals, Choi said that a better question would be how to make the commodity flow of dog meat more transparent so that consumers can make healthier choices, as with other livestock.
He said a critical part of achieving that goal is to include dogs on the list of animals covered by the Sanitary Process of Livestock Products Act.
“This is also the question of whether those so-called animal rights activists are entitled to prevent the right of dog meat eaters to eat whatever they want as long as it doesn’t cross the boundary of the law,” Choi said.
Responding to a question posed on a social network website asking foreigners residing in Korea and overseas what they thought about the eating of dog meat, Michael Finneran from England, living in Seoul, said, "What is the difference between Dogs, Sheep, Pigs, Cattle, they all taste good. I guarantee that if someone were starving, their morals would fly out of the window rapid."
David Parkes also from England, living near Dallas, Texas, said, “I blame Walt Disney. Until he gave us the cute, sad-eyed Bambi, we'd eat anything with hoofs or paws. Thanks to that damned deer, however, we get all squiffy about eating animals. Thanks, Walt.”
Cody Rose, a Seoul resident from the United States, said, “People in Korea (Koreans and foreigners) eat way too much meat to begin with. You are what you eat. If you treat your food like excrement and then eat it, what does that make you?”
eunji.bk@koreatimes.co.kr
개고기 먹는 야만인이라고? 푸아그라 먹는 네가 더 야만적
“박지성, 네가 어디에 있든지간에, 고향에 돌아가면 넌 개고기를 먹을테지. 하지만 빈민가에서 쥐를 잡아먹는 리버풀 팬 보다는 훨씬 낫다”
영국 프리미어리그 맨체스터 유나이티드 팬들이 박지성을 응원하기 위한 이른바 ‘개고기송’의 가사이다. 비록 이 노래의 가사가 ‘개고기 섭취’ 보다 리버풀 팬들을 비하하기 위한 의도가 더 크다고 할 지라도, 이 노래 가사 속엔 개고기를 먹는 한국인의 문화가 야만적이라는 편견이 기본적으로 내포되어 있다고 할 수 있다.
이렇듯 외국인에게 ‘한국’ 하면 떠오르는 대표적 이미지 중 하나가 ‘개고기를 먹는 민족’ 이라고도 할 수 있다.
오랜 역사를 가진 한국의 개고기 문화가 처음으로 심각한 도전을 맞닥뜨리게 된것은, 정부가 1986년 서울 아시안 게임과 1988년 서울 올림픽과 같은 국제 스포츠 대회에 앞서 민감한 이슈였던 개고기를 1978년 축산물 위생처리법에서 제외시켰을 때다.
대한육견협회 사무총장인 최영신씨는 "그 때쯤 해서 개고기 문제가 표면화 됐고, 애견문화 또한 비슷한 시기에 일어나기 시작했다"고 말했다.
대선을 불과 반년 앞둔 시점에서 다시 끓어오기 시작한 개고기문제에 대해, 최씨는 "가장 논란이 되는 문제는, 각종 동물보호협회들이 유독 개고기 문제들에만 민감하게 반응한다는 점"이라고 토로했다. 최씨의 입장은 동물보호에 관심같은 단체들의 생각은 충분히 이해하지만 왜 유독 개고기만 나쁘다고 비난하냐는 것이다.
그는 "아마도 축산법 위생처리법의 관리를 받는 다른 동물들에 비해 소비자가 적은 이유때문인 것 같다" 면서, "사실 더 토론의 초점은 개고기를 먹지 말아야 한다는 소모적인 이야기보다는 어떻게 더 처리과정을 투명하고 안전하게 고민하는가에 맞춰져야 한다"고 주장했다.
한편, 동물사랑실천현회 대표 박소연씨는 인간과 가장 가까운 반려동물이기에 식용을 금지해야 한다고 주장한다.
"우리나라에서 반려견의 수는 1,000만은 넘어서고 있고 반려견이 있는 가구수만 400만이예요. 그런데 또 다른 한 편에서는 개들이 잡아 먹히고 있죠"라고 박씨는 말했다.
박씨는 시대가 변화면서 문화도 변하는 법이라고, 이제는 개가 반려동물로, 가족 구성원으로 인식이 바뀌었기 때문에 시대에 맞게 식용을 금지해야 한다고 지적했다.
"식용견이 따로 있기 때문에 문제가 안 된다고 하지만 사실은 식용견이 아닌 개들도 많이 잡아 먹히고 있어요. 종견 번식 농장에서 번식력을 상실한 암컷들이나 유기견센터의 개들이나, 안락사를 시키기 위해서는 돈이 들기 때문에 잡아 먹히고 있는 게 현실이죠"라고 박씨는 밝혔다.
개고기를 먹지 말아야 한다고 해서 소나 돼지, 닭을 잡아먹는 것은 괜찮다는 얘기는 아니라고 박씨는 전했다.
"인류가 고기를 점차적으로 줄여나가야 한다고 생각하지만, 개는 인간과 가장 가깝고 친한 반려동물이기에 우선적으로 식용을 금해야 한다고 하는거죠"라고 덧붙였다.
개가 축산물로 등록이 안 되어 있어 위생 문제와 학대가 일어나고 있는 부분을 지적하는 이들도 있다. “개들이 축산물로 등록이 되면 합법적으로 농가에서 길러질 텐데 개들은 소, 돼지, 닭과 다르게 공격성이 있는 동물들이라 좁은 우리 안에 가둬 놓으면 서로 물어뜯고 상처 입히게 될 것"이라고 말했다.
박씨는 개 바이러스로 인한 가축 전염병이 생길 우려도 있다고 덧붙였다.
하지만 무엇보다 축산물 등록을 반대하는 이유는 축산물로 취급이 됐을 때 더 이상 동물로서 권리를 못 지니게 된다는 것이다. "가축들은 동물보호에서 예외가 되고 도축이 될 때까지 비인도적인 삶을 살 수 밖에 없게 되어요. 그렇기 때문에 개를 위하는 것이라면 식용을 금하는 것이 최선이죠"라고 덧붙였다.
한국에서 웹디자이너로 일하고 있는 피비 메르켈 김씨는 “개고기 섭취를 반대한다면 소, 돼지, 닭고기를 먹는 것도 똑같이 반대해야 한다고 생각해요.” 라고 말했다. 김씨는 이어 “소나 돼지도 사람들에게 먹히기 위해 충분히 고통 받고 있으니까요. 게다가 한 문화권에서 아무렇지도 않게 먹는 음식이 다른 문화권에선 야만적인 음식으로 생각될 수 있다는 생각도 해야해요. 저한텐 푸아그라나 샥스핀도 개고기 만큼이나 야만적인 음식이에요.” 라고 말 했다.
직장인 염상민씨는 개고기 섭취를 개가 사람과 가장 가까운 동물이기 때문에, 혹은 개의 지능이 다른 동물들에 비해서 높기 때문이라는 이유로 반대하는 사람들의 논리를 이해할 수 없다는 입장이다.
“어떤 사람들에겐 소나 돼지가 애완동물일 수 도 있을 뿐더러, 학계에 이미 돼지가 굉장히 영리한 동물임을 입증하는 연구도 많이 나와있어요.” 라고 그는 말했다.
이어 그는 “동물 학대를 방지하는 입장에서 개고기 뿐만 아니라 모든 종류의 고기 섭취를 반대한다면 오히려 더 설득력이 있게 들리죠. 또한 동물을 학대하거나 더러운 도축 환경을 갖춘 시설 등을 개선하는 일을 정부가 앞장 서서 해야 한다고 생각해요.” 라며 정부의 법 개정 및 적극적인 행동을 촉구했다.
Moon, Kim meet again at Panmunjeom [PHOTOS] 
Philippine President Duterte to visit Korea next month 
Canceling Singapore meeting may not be as bad as it looks 
North Korea urges US to revive summit 
Till death do us part 
South Korea 'trying to figure out Trump's intention' 
Online booking for immigration office 'takes too long' 
Coach accused of abusing PyeongChang gold medalist Shim Suk-hee 
Trump says meeting with Kim Jong-un 'could be on June 12' 
Foreign housemaids in Korea fall through legal net 
.jpg)
