Is this the sickest thing that you have heard lately?  What are we going to do about this, folks?  KAPS has launched an all-out campaign against the sale of dog and cat for table meat. If you read through to the end, they have given us an address in which to send our donations.  Please, let's all send what we can. Something is better than nothing.

I thank all of my PACAS members for your undying support where the animals are concerned.

Michelle Cuellar - PACAS Founder and moderator

Dog Meat Chain Restaurant #1 Opens
Joongan Daily News
April 24, 1997

The dog meat franchise restaurant has appeared for the first time in the world.
The China Trading Company, whose director is Noh Moon Sung has incorporated the
first dog meat specialty chain restaurant. It is called Chunha Daejanggun, and
the first branch opened in the Hyoja-chon, Bundang area. The company is planning
to open second branch in Yongin and third in Songpa-gu, Seoul. There are plans
to open twenty more restaurants in the future.
This dog meat restaurant differs from older existing dog meat
restaurants in that prices are lower (the price of regular dog soup is
lowered to 4,500 won about US$6) and there will be wider selection and
variety of dog meat dishes such as pan fried dish, bossam, barbecue, and so on.
Director Noh says, "I expect there will be a reaction from animal welfare
organizations in Korea and foreign countries but such protests which assume dog
meat to be a disgusting food are merely based on a different, western cultural
standard (from ours). The company will be opening a branch in downtown Seoul. I
would also like to recommend that this be put in the Guinness book because this
restaurant will be the first in the world."

**********************

"Boshintang, Now Let's Eat Proudly!"
Chosun Ilbo Daily News
July 15, 1997

Dog meat stew has been loved by our nation for centuries- it is our
traditional food, and eating it is a proud thing.
The original name is Kae Jang Kuk, which means "dog meat stew". Why did our
ancestors eat this on the first day of the canicular period (the very hottest
summer days)? It is because dog meat stew is the most suitable food for
restoring the body after the heat of the dog days (canicular heat).
By eating boiled dog meat, which is so high in proteins, energy and
stamina, those overcome by the heat of canicular, will be once again
replenished.
Dog meat stew is filled with our nation's wisdom, and has been loved since the
distant past. Now let us eat it proudly and, with good health, see the summer
come to an end. Efficacy of dog meat stew appeared in old literature:
Yol yang se-si-ki: In the canicular period, boiled dog meat raises "Yang"
(male principle in Chinese philosophy.)
Dong kuk se-si-ki: Sweating while eating dog meat stew defeats the heat and
replenishes weakness.
Dong ui bo kam: Dog meat comforts the five viscera- it controls blood
vessels; strengthens the intestines and the stomach; fills in the bone
marrow; warms the waist and the knees; and in general increases the strength of
the body.

****************************

LETTER FROM A YOUNG STUDENT
Dear KAPS:

I am 6-grade student of Ulsan Elementary School. I need someone I can talk
to from my sad heart. I like dogs very very much. I know my neighbor's 20
dogs very well. I visit at least once a week and bring food for them. A few
days ago I visited them as usual with food and suddenly the owner of the
dogs got mad and told me to go away. At that time a big heavy man came and
gave some money to this woman and then he went back to hitting and breaking
a stone with a hammer. I thought that he was going to kill a dog, but I
tried not to think about it. The woman selected biggest dog among them and
tied him by himself by the other wall. The heavy man came with the hammer so
I begged him not to kill the dog. The man said he was going to break his no
good bike. Finally, I left and went home. The next day, after the school, I
visited the dogs but I could not find the big dog so I went to the wall
where he had been tied. There was only a dog collar, leash and the blood
splashed wall. I looked around the backyard and I found dog organs. I found what
look like heart, liver, four paws and tools for barbecue. I asked the son of the
woman what happened to the dog and he said that his mother ran a boshintang (dog
soup) restaurant before, but now she just raises dogs and sells them. The boy
and I buried the dead dog's organs and paws under the ground and we prayed
silently for him. How I wish there is no boshintang in our country.

************************

North Korean Dog Being Sold in South
The Korean Herald
August 27, 1995

"Poongsan-gae," a traditional Korean breed of dog from Poongsan County in South
Hamkyong Province, North Korea, was sold here for the first time last Tuesday.
A total of 18 Poongsan-gaes were imported from North Korea through China by Lee
Hee-hoon, 47, a farm manager, in March last year, and the number of dogs has
since increased to more than 60.
Lee, managing a farm in Koyang, Kyonggi Province, is selling the puppies for a
million won (about $1,290) each.
Lee said that he decided to sell the dogs with the hope that the traditional
Korean dog will not be exterminated but preserved long into the future.
"I hope that a lot of people will visit here and buy them," he said.
The Poongsan dog, designated by North Koreans as their 35th precious
natural resource, is one of the three Korean breeds of dogs along with
Jindo-gae and Sapsal-gae.
A full-grown Poongsan-gae averages between 55-65cm in height and 25-35kg in
weight.

*******************************
Animal Loyalty
Next to the drugstore where I work is a five-story building owned by Mr.
Kang. He is extremely modest and frugal in his appearance, but he loves to
spend money on good food and drink. Everybody likes him because of his easy
going nature and his great sense of humor. One day, tragically, he had a
stroke which left him partially and temporarily paralyzed (I thought it was
due to his excessive eating and drinking!).
Anyway, I was keeping him company in his convalescence when I casually asked him
about boshintang(dog meat stew), and if he enjoyed eating it. He sharply
answered, how could I ask such a thing. He said that afterall, dogs were loyal
to man and considered them friends; dogs wagged their tails to show their love,
and he could never eat an animal that expressed this kind of deep emotion and
faithfulness. (Mr. Kang's response, and disgust against eating dog meat is still
voiced by common people today, as it has been for many decades).
He then went on to tell me about an "unjust friend" who had a pet dog.
When the dog was fully-grown and the time was considered "right", this
"friend" decided to kill the dog and eat him. He caught his pet and just as
he was tying its legs together, the dog managed to escape. The owner went in
search of the dog and when he saw him, he gently called the dog's name. I
could not imagine that the dog would come to his owner, but in all his
innocence, he did. He died pitifully simply because he placed his trust in
his owner.
Mr. Kang finished the story with a heavy heart and said that he thought the dog
was stupid to respond to such a cruel owner. In my mind, I felt so sorry for the
dog because he returned out of loyalty and love, never believing that the man
meant any harm. Humans such as this man would betray not only their pets, but
friends and family as well.
Mr. Kang's story illustrates the cruel and selfish side of our society,
and it is an aspect which is becoming more and more commonplace. We seem to
be so egotistical and self-concerned that we are unable to recognize the
simple fact that if we are cruel to animals, we can inevitably be cruel to
one another. But if we can love an animal in all of their vulnerability and
innocence, then it is so much easier to love one another. Only when we fully
embrace this peace of mind, will we stop rewarding an animal's unconditional
love with cruel treatment, and so often, death.

***************************************

Kachiree
No matter how many times she tried, the mother magpie could not get her chick
back into the nest. Luckily for the chick, there was a sympathetic bystander
observing this dilemma. Realizing that the mother magpie would be unsuccesful in
her attempts, the good samaritan brought the chick to the sanctuary, and thus
began my complex relationship with this bird.
The chick escaped its fall with only a minor wing injury. Certainly
unaffected by the fall was his ravenous appetite. It's hard to believe that
such a small animal could consume so much food! After a brief and
unsuccessful search for insects, I resorted to feeding him small pieces of
chopped ham.
It wasn't long before his wing began to heal and the true colors of his
personality began to emerge. I named him Kachiree(derived from the Korean word
for magpie). He was fascinated by anything shiny, red, pink or yellow.  Objects
meeting one or more of these criteria were worth stealing and hiding for later
amusement or, if necessary, bartering. My watch became a favorite trade item.
Kachiree was a very sociable creature. I had nine cats in my apartment who were
all very gentle with him, even though he regularly tormented them.  Like a dog,
he followed me wherever I went. He came with me to the pharmacy, to the bank,
and even into the bathroom while I took a bath. While I bathed he took his own
bath in the wash basin that I filled with water. Afterwards, he would dry and
preen his feathers in front of the fan. He liked to perch on top of my head,
which made my hair look like a bird's nest.
To encourage his independence, I started leaving a window open so he could go
out as he pleased. By the end of two months, he began to leave for longer
periods of time. On one such outing, he didn't return for almost two weeks. I
was very worried that something bad had happened and I began an unsuccessful
search for for him. One day, he showed up upport and assistance of the
international community to help pressure the people and the government into
realizing the importance of humane and ethical treatment of animals. In spite of
the passage of animal protection laws, enforcement remains a problem. Without
constant vigilance and presence of KAPS, there will be no one to speak on the
behalf of the abused animals, and our work will have been in vain. Won't you
please help to save an abused animal?
If you can't help us financially, please visit our Campaigns section to find
out what else you can do to help the dogs and cats in Korea.

KAPS does not receive any funding from the Korean government nor from any
international animal welfare groups. Please send your tax-deductible
contributions in one of the following ways:
In Korea, send checks to:
Korea Animal Protection Society
1593-19 Daemyoung-10-dong
Nam-ku, Taegu City
South Korea 705-040

Korea Exchange Bank will hold foreign checks for one month and will charge
anywhere from US$4 to US$30 depending on the amount of the check.
Wire transfers:
Korea Animal Protection Society
049-13-19974-5
Korea Exchange Bank
Taegu City, South Korea

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All other countries, send your personal checks to:

International Aid for Korean Animals
P.O.Box 20600
Oakland, CA 94620-0600

We will send you a receipt acknowledging your kind donation.
Very sincerely,

Sunnan and Kyenan Kum

http://www.koreananimals.org
http://www.koreananimals.org/shelt_p1.htm

Last updated 8/4/2000