THE DOG MEAT MARKETS OF KOREA
and the Opening of KAPS New Shelter- the Boeun shelter.
The Korean Animal Protection Society is tireless in the work they do for Korean cats and dogs especially since there’s a raging dog meat and cat juice industry there. Sunnan Kum talks to us about their brand new sanctuary.
 Please give an update on your new sanctuary and snazzy new website.
We are updating our website regularly.
What’s the latest news about the dog meat markets of Korea, Sunnan?
I believe that the trade is decreasing albeit very slowly. There are still dog meat restaurants which seem to make a lot of money but I have heard many reports of small dog meat restaurants closing down. The younger generation do not enjoy dog meat as much as the older generation. It is unfortunate that the Korean government still lacks any genuine intention to remove the trade. If the government officials stopped justifying the trade and marketing it as a Korea’s tradition and if they would just listen to us, the trade could be rooted out once and for all.
How many animals does your new sanctuary hold now?
There are 50 dogs in the sanctuary and they are happy. I intend to keep only sponsored animals and animals that are healthy and have a friendly temperament with other dogs in the new shelter. The cat space is ready but we will send healthy and friendly cats to the new shelter next spring. Because of the rise in oil prices and in the difficulties with attracting funds to run two shelters, we cannot afford to heat both dog and cat quarters this winter. We are forced to save expenses this winter. The dogs had very difficult time in Daegu shelter, especially the large ones. We are relieved that they enjoy so much more space at this new shelter and can bark to their heart’s content, without attracting complaints from neighbours. We hope many of the newly rescued cats can enjoy the benefits of our new shelter soon.
For those who don't know what happens to Man's Best Friend and to Korean cats please outline here?
Dogs and cats are companion animals to many Koreans yet so many of them live in misery and suffering. The consumption of dogs and cats continue even though this is not endorsed by the majority of Koreans. The cause of this suffering is ignorance and greed, which resulted in the immense suffering of dogs, cats and wildlife. Of course the dogs and cats who are cared for by a loving family do not usually suffer the same fate. But even they are not completely immune from the misery that many dogs and cats are still subject to. Stray dogs and cats will suffer a painful death if caught by heartless or greedy people. Until the Korean government takes genuine steps to root out the dog/cat meat trade, animal protection cannot be established in Korea. The campaign against the trade must continue.
Is dog meat soup on the rise in Korea?
Fortunately, the consumption is in the decrease and this summer, more people turned to plant health food than what we have seen before. KAPS has always emphasised that dog meat is a major cause of modern illness in South Korea and can lead to diseases such as stroke, cancer and high blood pressure. Thankfully the media and doctors are beginning to understand that eating dog meat and other meat results in such illness and they have started speaking out on the benefits of a plant based diet as health food. If the media and the government truly care about the health of the public and stop justifying dog meat and/or even siding with dog meat traders, the trade will die out as the younger generation replace the older generation. We are determined to continue to talk to the government and media.
What is your vision for the future?
I want to establish animal protection in Korea. However there is no hope for animals in Korea unless the dog/cat meat trade is rooted out. Strengthening the Animal Protection Law will achieve very little unless the government makes a law that prohibits the slaughter and consumption of dogs and cats. Animal protection can be established only if Korea strengthens the Animal Protection law after eradicating the practice of eating dogs and cats once and for all. Strengthening the Animal Protection Law without making any efforts to root out the dog/cat meat trade is like trying to cure symptoms of an illness while doing nothing about the cause.
Is Korea 's New Animal Protection Law a serious law or not?
An animal protection law that allows the dog/cat meat trade to go on cannot be a genuine attempt to protect animals. A serious law which has the interests of animals at heart will at least attempt to provide a basis for prohibiting the trade, which is the very cause of the rampant animal abuse in Korea.
One of the largest problems with the previous law, it’s been said, was that its definition of animal cruelty were abstract and subject to interpretation. What’s your first hand view of the situation?
KAPS does not agree. The largest problem of the previous law and the current law is that it does not prohibit the use of dogs and cats as food. The Amendment introduces companion animal registration system and the object of the registration is limited to dogs that are raised by individual households. This leaves open the possibility of interpretation that dogs that are not the object of registration are not companion animals. It does nothing to discourage the distinction between companion dogs and food dogs. If anything, the Amendment seems to acknowledge such a distinction. Cats are not even included. KAPS have requested that the object of registration should be all dogs and cats however our request has been ignored. The Amendment also prohibits various ways of slaughtering dogs. However, the important thing is to prohibit the slaughter itself. The deliberate tortures were inflicted because the consumers believe that these painful deaths increase the taste and the medicinal effect of the meat and will continue unless there will be no more dog meat consumption. Only genuine efforts to eradicate the trade and educate the public over the harmful effects of eating dogs and cats can bring an end to the deliberate cruelty and lead to a better future for all Korean animals.
What are some of your success stories please?
1. Due to the anti-dog meat campaign, KAPS often receives phone calls from dog meat traders. Many of them just hung up the phone after swearing abuse at us. However some of them want to talk to me and most of dog meat traders who I have had a conversation with have been persuaded to quit the trade and start a new business. During the conversation, I ask them to think about what they are doing to their children and family. If they want a society in which their children will grow up and enjoy a peaceful existence, they would not indulge in killing life and betraying the trust of animals that show loyalty and love. Many dog meat traders feel that what they are doing is not decent and I have encouraged them to find a job that will not plant mistrust and disrespect for life into the wider society. There are dog meat traders who got into the trade because it was easy money yet find it uncomfortable to carry on. These people can be persuaded through heart-to-heart conversation and I have received many positive responses by trying to understand their reasons and asking them to think about what they are doing and to seek an alternative form of employment.
 2. We are committed more than ever to continue our work educating on the importance of spay/neuter to those who keep companion animals. More people are now spaying/neutering their animals than before. 90% of KAPS members who have cats now spay/neuter their animals. We will continue to send out a strong message about the importance of responsible ownership.
3. We have distributed anti-dog meat leaflets all over the country thanks to the help of our members and sponsors since last year and we had much more positive response to our campaign from the general public and members compared with our street demonstrations in the past.
How can the international community help your cause?
The international community must support the efforts of Koreans who try their best to eradicate the dog/cat meat trade and make Korea a more compassionate society. They must understand that the practice of eating dogs and cats is not part of Korea’s culture and is the very cause of so much suffering. They must be clear about their message to the Korean government that it is the practice of eating dogs and cats must be abolished not regulated.
Where can interested parties support your work financially?
Our English site (www.koreananimals.net) has a online donation facility. Supporters can also send a cheque (payable to KAPS) to our Korean office at the below address.
Korea Animal Protection Society
1593-19 Daemyoung-10dong, Nam-Gu
Daegu City, South Korea 705-815
Will we ever see an end to this atrocity?
If the Korean government changes its heart and make genuine efforts to end the atrocity, we can end the tragedy. We will continue to persuade the government to make real changes and work with people who genuinely care about animals. We will continue to educate the media and the Korean public the need to eradicate the practice of eating dogs and cats.
Opening ceremony speech of Sunnan Kum’s on the day of Boeun Shelter Opening Ceremony, 15th April 2007
Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to thank every one of you with all my heart for visiting us from inside and outside of the country to celebrate the opening of our new Boeun Animal shelter of KAPS.
Back in 1986, I purchased a land measuring about 496 m² in Daemyoung-dong, Daegu City for the first time. It was for the purpose of taking care of abandoned cats and dogs. It seemed really spacious at that time, I thought. Because, till then, I had been assured that there wouldn’t be so many abandoned animals. I used to believe that any man or woman who encounters such helpless animals unable to speak for themselves will take good care of them with sympathy.
However, now I know that I was so naïve and foolish to have had that belief. I found many cats and dogs suffering in extreme starvation and thirst all over this country. Warm-hearted people would often bring me such animals instead of selling them to a dog-trader or at a market. In no time, the land of 496m² was fully occupied by cats, dogs, and even wild animals.
I was drowning in unspeakable shock and sorrow, but I had to pull myself together and thought about what was wrong and what I should do from then on. Firstly, people need to be educated and informed in order to cultivate the thought that every single life has its own dignity. Secondly, we need to generate publicity for the importance of sterilization, as an obvious method we can reduce the number of abandoned animals. And at the same time, we urgently need a larger animal shelter.
We always dreamed of an animal shelter in a good extensive environment. But it was only a dream on our economic conditions year after year till a Korean-American eco-activist, Danny Suh, gave an unexpected fund-aid of 25 thousand dollars in the year 2000. The fund was the seed to build up our new shelter. However, the dream we had was not going to be realized so quickly. It took about 7 years against all the odds to complete the construction of our new animal shelter, which is located in the forest with fresh air all around, and 10 times larger in size than the one in Daegu. I cannot be happier now to have met those who have the same belief in our heart, and to have realized our long-cherished desire together.
However, frankly speaking, my real wish does not lie in building up more and more shelters everywhere in this country. The animals grown in the human hands are no better than babies who are unable to express their thought in words. Only if the owners of those animals have the conscience and responsibility to keep them till the end… And only if people have the tradition to think in the place of those weak animals… there will be no abandoned animals at all. And naturally, we won’t need animal shelters any longer. This is my real wish and desire.
Loving animals means loving any life on earth, which, in turn, means loving humans. I have had this reassurance ever since I got to take care of a sick kitten which had serious skin disease in 1982.By loving our animals, we must make every single effort to make Korea a peaceful and warm country, not the country of animal abuse, but the international example of loving animals.
I would like to send you many thanks again to help us build up this animal shelter, which can be recorded as the first animal protection center in the history of Korea. And with this pride in our heart, we will have to try harder to protect our animals. For your reference, the names of supporters who dedicated a lot are carved on the wall of our management building.
To contact Korean Animal Society, write to
Korea Animal Protection Society
1593-19 Dae-myeong 10 Dong
Nam gu, Daegu City
South Korea
Tel: 0082-53-629-6143
Fax: 0082-53-628-6860
Email: kaps0127@hanafos.com
KAPS dedicates this interview to Paul Littlefair at the RSPCA, Sindy at IFAW and Phil Wollen at WCKT for making this new sanctuary possible.
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