the consumption of dog meat in South Korea , where it is known as "Gaegogi" (Korean: ??? , literally "dog meat"), has a long history that originated during the period of the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the first century AD. However, in recent years, it has been a controversy both in South Korea and around the world, due to animal rights and sanitation issues.
According to some sources the consumption of dog meat is becoming less common in modern South Korea, especially among younger South Koreans, and the practice is declining. Estimated number of animals varies greatly. According to Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA), about 780,000 to 1 million dogs are consumed per year in South Korea. This amount is lower based on sales estimates from Moran Market, which occupies 30-40% of the dog meat market in the country. Sales in the Moran Market have declined in recent years, falling to about 20,000 dogs per year by 2017. The South Korean statistical information service census of 2015 reported a total of 24,671 facilities that housed 521,201 dogs, though this figure includes animals raised for the pet industry and who grew up for meat consumption.
Video Dog meat consumption in South Korea
History
As a general practice, dog meat has never been a major part of Korean diet throughout history. The consumption of dog meat can be traced back in time, and dog bones were dug in neolithic settlements in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. A fresco in the Goguryeo tomb complex in South Hwanghae Province, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating from the 4th century AD, depicts a dog slaughtered in a warehouse (Ahn, 2000).
Beginning in the Silla Dynasty (57 BC - 935 AD) and later during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392 AD), Buddhism was a state religion and eating beef was considered immoral and was initially discouraged and later banned (as cows were considered coworkers human). In general, animal life is considered sacred and eating meat is minimized; Although, eating seafood is more common. During the latter part of the Goryeo Dynasty, the practice of feeding dog meat was introduced by nomadic Khitan people, who as war refugees spilled into Goryeo during the Mongol invasion. Mongols who attacked Korea lifted the ban on beef and authorized meat consumption during their rule. During the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910 AD), the Khitans minority eventually assimilated into the social structure as "Baekjeong," the first class of butchers, who occupy the lowest class of society. The Joseon government commissioned Baekjeong the task of handling the problem of stray dogs, and thus dog meat became food for the poor. During the Joseon Dynasty, certain government officials argued that dogs were human friends and wanted to ban the consumption of dog meat.
Around 1816, Jeong Hak-yu , the second son of Jeong Yak-yong , a prominent politician and scholar of the Joseon dynasty at the time, wrote a poem entitled > Nongga Wollyeongga (?????). This poem, which is an important source of Korean people's history, describes what ordinary Korean farmers do in every month of the year. In the August description the poem tells of a married woman visiting her biological parents with boiled dog meat, rice cakes, and rice wine, thus showing the popularity of dog meat at the time (Ahn, 2000; Seo, 2002). Dongguk Sesigi (?????), a book written by a Korean scholar Hong Seok-mo in 1849, contains Bosintang recipes including a boiled dog, spring onions, and red pepper powder.
There is a traditional celebration in South Korea called Sambok (??) where Korean people in modern times eat Baeksuk, chicken soup with rice and spices. However, some South Koreans choose to consume Bosintang instead, a soup containing dog meat.
Maps Dog meat consumption in South Korea
Current situation
By 2014, 329 restaurants serve dog meat in Seoul, and the number continues to decline every year. Some restaurants report a decrease in consumption by 20-30% per year.
The sharp decline in dog meat consumption in Korea over the last few decades differs from other countries, such as Switzerland, where the consumption of dog meat increases.
Dog meat is often consumed during the summer months and baked or prepared in soup or stew. The most popular of these soups is Gaejang-guk , a spicy soup intended to balance body heat during the summer months. This is considered to ensure good health by balancing someone " ki " or the vital energy of the body. The 19th century version Gaejang-guk (explains the preparation of dishes by boiling dog meat with green onions and chili powder. Variations of dishes contain chicken and bamboo shoots.
On December 13, 2016, the termination of dog slaughter and slaughter facilities at Moran Market was announced by the local government and the seller association. The Moran Market, located in Seongnam, is the largest dog meat market in South Korea. Each year, it sold over 20,000 dogs and is a source for 30-40% of the dog meat consumption in the country. The decision was reached in an effort to reduce the negative outlook of the market by overhauling it as part of a city project. All dog slaughter facilities on the market are planned to be removed in May 2017 and traders will be financially supported by the government in the process.
Inspired by a decision made on the Moran Market in 2016, protesters gathered at Gupo Market in Busan in February 2017 calling for the closure of dog meat sellers. The Gupo market has almost the same size as the Moran Market and has existed since the Joseon Dynasty. In the last few decades, the number of dog meat sellers in the market has dropped to just 22 vendors because of the government's efforts to improve the city's image for tourists. Until now, there has been no official statement by the local government that involves a plan to remove the dog meat seller.
Dogs are used for meat
The main dog breed raised for meat is a non-specific landrace commonly referred to as Nureongi (???), or Hwangu (??). Nureongi is not the only type of dog currently slaughtered for meat in South Korea. In 2015, The Korea Observer reported that many breeds of dog pets are bred to eat, including for example, labrador, retarder and cocker spaniels, and that the dogs that are slaughtered for their meat often include former pets.
According to Korean Animal Rights Advocates KARA, there are about 3,000 dog meat farms operating across the country, many of which accept dogs from overflowing from dog factories to the pet industry. With the decline in demand for dog meat in Korea, a more serious problem today is the excess dogs that come from the dog breeding industry.
The majority of dogs are slaughtered with electricity, although some are hung or beaten on the head before being exploited, although such practices are illegal under the 2007 Animal Protection Act.
In 2015, it was reported that when the retainer was sold as a meat dog, it cost more than 200,000 Korean Won (£ 140 pounds, or $ 180 US dollars).
Legal status
Between 1975 and 1978, dogs have full legal status of farm animals in South Korea, but the legality of dog meat trade is now highly debated. South Korea adopted its first Animal Protection Law in May 1991.
Currently, Article 7 of the Animal Protection Act does not explicitly prohibit the slaughter of dogs for food, however, "prohibits killing animals in a brutal manner". In addition, "prohibiting the killing of dogs in open areas such as on the street or in front of other animals of the same species".
The controversy over dog meat has led to lobbying for different rules and interpretations of existing laws.
Dog meat is subject to the Food Sanitation Act/Food Hygiene Act of 1962, which only defines food "as" all foodstuffs, except as medicine. "However, unlike beef, pork or poultry, dog meat is excluded from list of livestock under the Livestock Law Act of 1962, which is "the main law governing the slaughter of livestock and meat processing hygienically." Therefore, dog meat breeding is less regulated than other farm animals.
As a result, there are no regulations that require the slaughter of dogs humanely for meat. The controversy about dog meat consumption often centers on the method of slaughter used, which includes electrical misery, suffocating by hanging, and physically hitting the dog to death. Some dogs are still alive when they are burned or thrown into boiling water to remove their fur. Some in South Korea and abroad believe that dog meat should be clearly legalized so that only formal processors can handle meat in a more humane and healthy way, while others think that the practice should be prohibited by law.
In 2008, the Seoul Metropolitan Government proposed a recommendation to the national government to add dogs to the list of cattle whose slaughter is regulated by law. However, activist groups attacked the proposal as legitimizing or legalizing dog meat trade. City dropped the proposal, but an official from the national government was quoted as saying "It's the only idea about the city.. We have not consulted at all.... I do not think we plan to consider this option."
Type of dish
- Bosintang (??? ;;?); Gaejangguk (???) The decoction contains the meat and vegetables of poached dogs.
- Gaegogi Jeongol (????) - The elaborate dog stew made in a large Jeongol pot.
- Gae Suyuk (? ??; ???) - Boiled dog meat
- Gaegogi Muchim (????) - Steamed dog meat, Korean onion (??), and vegetables mixed with herbs
- Gaesoju (??? ;;?) - A mixed drink containing dog meat and other Chinese medicinal ingredients such as ginger, chestnut, and jujube to refresh one's health.
International supervision
During the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, the South Korean government urged its citizens not to consume dog meat to avoid bad publicity during the game, along with a request to a butcher shop not to hang dogs in the window. It also closes all the restaurants that serve Gaejang-guk to further enhance the country's image to Western visitors. Salon article in 1998 reported that although it was officially banned by the government for a decade, nearly 20,000 restaurants at the time were still serving dog meat. A successful South Korean effort to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 1996 prompted a new wave of criticisms of South Korean dog meat culture. Activists argue that when whale meat consumption declined in Japan after the 1964 Summer Olympics, South Koreans must reduce the consumption of dog meat.
The controversy reappeared in 2001 during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The match organizers, under pressure from animal rights groups such as PETA, demanded that the Korean government resolve the issue again. Brigitte Bardot, a prominent head of the French animal rights organization named after him, launched a campaign during the 2002 FIFA World Cup to have banned dog meat in Korea. He encourages people to boycott the game if the government does not ban the sale of dog meat at restaurants in Seoul.
Controversy
In Korea, some people eat Bosintang (literally "refreshing soup"), believing that it has medicinal properties, especially with regard to masculinity. In South Korean dog meat is also believed to encourage one's energy or virility and is usually consumed during intense Korean summers, whereas in China dog meat is consumed in winter under the belief that it increases warmth. There is no scientific evidence to support the recognized health benefits of eating dog meat.
Many Buddhists in Korea consider eating meat, including dog meat, an offense.
In recent years, some South Koreans have changed their attitude toward eating dog meat from "personal choice" to "unnecessary cruelty." Animal rights activist in South Korea protests against dog meat eating habits. Since 1988, international animal welfare activists - notably, French actress Brigitte Bardot - campaigned against dog meat consumption in South Korea. However, Korean nationalists on the internet argue that there is a double standard, which accuses non-Korean animal welfare activists forcing "Westernization" in South Korea. A 2007 survey by the South Korean agriculture ministry showed that 59% of South Koreans under the age of 30 will not eat dogs. About 62% of the same age group say they consider dogs as pets, not food. Many young Koreans think that those who eat dogs are anachronisms.
In Animal Defense against the consumption and trade of dog meat in South Korea, see it as an unregulated industry, with conditions that are considered unclean and cruel. Korean Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) estimates that about 1 million dogs are consumed per year in South Korea. This amount is lower based on sales estimates from Moran Market, which occupies 30-40% of the dog meat market in the country. Sales in the Moran Market have declined in recent years, falling to about 20,000 dogs per year by 2017. Several organizations, such as the Animal Defense, KARA, Rescue Guards, and koreandogs.org [8], petitioned the South Korean Government forbidding consumption dog meat. Since 2002, when the protest has grown, the number of dogs raised as cattle and the number of dog farms has dropped dramatically.
Korean Americans have used a lawsuit against a public figure who mentions this stereotype about South Korean cuisine. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, TV host Jay Leno joked that South Korean skater Kim Dong-Sung would eat his dog. The MCIC group filed a class action suit against Leno on behalf of 50,000 Korean Americans, demanding apology and monetary damages.
The animal welfare advocacy group, the Institute for Animal Welfare, has called for a letter of protest about the dog meat trade to be sent to the president and South Korean ambassador to the United States before South Korea hosts the 2018 Winter Olympics. The charity, the World Dog Alliance, a successful petition in 2012, called on the British Government to intervene and oppose cruelty. By 2015, the issue is ultimately debated in the House of Commons Chamber. The second debate on the South Korean dog meat trade in the British Parliament was held on 12 September 2016 by the Petition Committee, following an e-petition that began in the petisi.parliament.uk. Change.org has over 450,000 signatures on a petition to boycott the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Many activist groups have documented cases in South Korea and China about dogs being beaten, burned, electrocuted, and boiled alive. Some Koreans and Chinese believe in the myth that the more adrenaline the dog produces because it is depressed just before being killed, the softer the dog meat will be consumed.
See also
- Nureongi
- Food and taboo drinks
- Welfare and animal rights in South Korea
Note
References
Source
Further reading
- Yong-Geun Ann, PhD. Dog Meat (in Korean and English). Hyoil Book Publishing Company. (contains some recipes)
-
The Dog Butcher . - The English translation of the Animal Protection Law Animal (2007)
External links
Dog di Wikibook Cookbooks
Media related to Dog meat in Wikimedia Commons
- Do Korean People Really Eat Dogs? About.com
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments