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Attitudes to dog meat-eating changing,
but issue still stirring up controversy
Korea Herald
July 22, 2000
by Kim Min-hee Staff reporterThe sweltering heat of mid-summer may make for a general slowdown in the restaurant sector, but for the nation's roughly 6,000 eateries serving sizzling poshintang, or dog-meat soup, business is booming.
As in past years, such restaurants are currently seeing a stream of male visitors who believe, if only half-heartedly, that poshintang is the best cure for the summer heat. Some in the business estimate that the number of customers for dog meat rises as much as four-fold in the summer months.
Word appears to have gotten around that besides beefing up men's virility, the dish also improves women's skin. Indeed, young women now make up a significant portion of visitors to "health soup houses" around local colleges.
So it's safe to say that for all the international pressure and protests by animal rights groups, poshintang is not likely to disappear from menus anytime soon.
In fact, it appears that strong international criticism has caused some Koreans to become even more protective of their culinary customs.
"This is a matter of cultural difference. It's as simple as that. Westerners have eating practices that we cannot understand. We shouldn't criticize each other regarding foods," said Na Hyun-woo, who runs a poshintang restaurant in Asan, South Chungchong Province.
The 30-year-old restaurant is among a growing number of dog-meat restaurants setting up Web sites to advertise their businesses while also offering information on the history of dog soup and its nutritional value.
"The taboo on eating dog meat began with the popularization of the Western view that dogs are primarily pets," Na said. "But look at Westerners. They eat horse intestines and pluck out lambs' eyes and regard them as delicacies. Our attitude toward eating dogs, in comparison, is so negative and even servile."
Na strongly recommends dog meat to those suffering from illnesses or recovering from injuries. Quoting from Tong-ui-po-gam, an authoritative Korean medical dictionary dating back to the 16th century, Na also champions the dish for those with weak intestines.
The seemingly growing popularity of dog-meat soup in Korea does not necessarily mean the practice is accepted by all. In fact, there are many Koreans who would be happy to see the restaurants go out of business.
"I just cannot imagine eating dog," said Kim, a 32-year-old housewife who has kept dogs for much of her life. "I am well aware of the argument that eating dog is no different from eating cows and chickens. But I want to stress dogs' emotional closeness to humans throughout history. We have to draw a line somewhere, don't we?" The Korea Animal Protection Society (KAPS), at the forefront of the anti-dog meat campaign, also cites many reasons for not eating dog meat, one of which is that the practice is outdated.
"Living in a global society means that we should adjust our behavior to respect the feelings of others rather than just stressing our own beliefs," KAPS head Kum Son-ran said. "We should consider with an open heart why other countries criticize us for eating dog meat and boycott our products as a show of protest." Surprisingly, the foreign community in Korea appears to accept the practice, but more often than not they add that they would prefer not to try the dish themselves.
"When I first heard about Koreans eating dogs, it just sounded strange. But Chinese eat monkeys and bears. I probably wouldn't eat it voluntarily, but then if I didn't know what I was eating, I might have it," said Hiromi Watanabe, a Japanese who has lived in Seoul for 10 months.
A Canadian who teaches at a university said he has no problem with Koreans eating dog meat.
"It's fine, it's food. Americans eat beef but Hindus worship cows. It's a matter of cultural difference. I just wouldn't do it because if I did, I think my dog back in Canada would know it," said Matthew Marshall of Kyonggi University.
The controversy over the practice of eating dog meat- and over the mistreatment dogs are said to suffer at the hands of dog-meat producers - is likely to arise again ahead of World Cup Korea-Japan in 2002.
Allegations that breeders are injecting dogs with hormones to augment their reported health benefits is only the latest development in the ongoing battle between pro- and anti-dog meat activists.
As for the government, it appears reluctant to revise related regulations in any way in the absence of consensus among the Korean people.
"We cannot ban the practice of eating dog meat. That would make criminals of maybe one-fourth of the whole population," said an official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, who asked to remain nameless. "But in the face of international criticism, we cannot possibly legalize the sale of dog meat either." Currently, there is no official law regulating the sale and distribution of dog meat, a fact that has led to hygiene concerns and various irregularities in the process of raising dogs for slaughter.
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