In the harsh Korean countryside, Sang Ki-chun goes about his morning chores.Sang is a farmer, and has a plot of land about two hours drive from Seoul.Like many farms, this one has dogs
but these arent farm dogs, theyre farmed dogs.This is a dog farm.There are one thousand of the animals here. A fresh shipment arrives.When the dogs are twelve months old, theyre sent to market, where theyre killed for human consumption.
FARMER: These dogs have excellent nutritional value compared to other farm animals.We raise these dogs with the same care as we would give to our children.
The World Cup is coming, and excitement is building.As one of the hosts, South Korea is preparing to welcome the world.Events like this one are being held for the benefit of foreign tourists.
LIN:We would like to showcase the uniqueness of our culture to the rest of the world, because this World Cup is the first one in Asia and the first one in the new millennium.But theres one part of Korean culture that refuses to die and its providing a very ugly sideshow to one of the worlds biggest sporting events.There are 6,000 dog restaurants in South Korea.At this one, the house special is dog stew.Opinion polls suggest one third of the population has eaten dog in the last year.According to those in the industry, its a tradition that goes back thousands of years.Dog meat is tender and tasty. The demand for this type of food has been increasing ever since I started this business.For those tucking into the dog casserole its not just a matter of tradition, but nutrition.I had tuberculosis in my body when I was a child. The disease was cured with this food. Thats why I come here to enjoy it. Also, I believe it is our traditional culture and food.Theres even talk of the hair of the dog. People say it is good for the body. Among other things, it is delicious. If a food is delicious, it is also good for your health. If you eat dog the day after a night of alcohol, it tastes even more delicious and it will relieve the hangover. Thats why I come here often.In the West, where dogs are considered loyal companions, canine cuisine has prompted howls of outrage.When Seoul hosted the Olympics in 1988, the government bowed to foreign pressure and temporarily closed restaurants like this one.
Now that South Korea is hosting the World Cup, the foreign pressure has returned.International animal groups have been campaigning hard. Theyve forced FIFA, the body that runs world soccer, to demand South Korea stop mistreating dogs.This time, though, Koreas response was very different a polite but firm, mind your own business.
World Cup Committee This issue is not connected with the World Cup preparation, however, I hope that this issue can be interpreted as a part of the diverse food culture in the world.NATSOT OPENING DOORThis man is a professor of food nutrition and South Koreas leading dog meat campaigner.Ahn Yong-Geun or Dr Dogmeat as he is known has devised 350 canine recipes.As far hes concerned, this debate is simply a matter of cultural difference eating dog is the same as eating cow or kangaroo. The foreign criticisms make no sense. Why are they concerned with dogs while there are people dying of starvation? Are dogs being exterminated in Korea? No, they are not. These criticisms are wrong.And Doctor Dogmeat has a pet theory as to why the West is so opposed to the idea of eating dog animal activists are being manipulated by the beef industry.
DR DOGMEAT: The dog meat market in Korea is worth about US$3 million a year. If the Korean people are stopped from eating dog, then the imports of beef will increase. Thats why they only criticize South Korea.
But theres a side of the dog meat trade that its advocates dont want the West to see.This is the Moran market on Seouls outskirts.Its big and bustling but in this section, foreigners and film crews are not welcome.We had to use a hidden camera to record these pictures.Up to two million canines are eaten in Korea each year.This is where many of the dogs are bought, sold and slaughtered.Animals of all types and ages are crammed into tiny, rusty cages.Theres no place here for the Western notion that a dog is mans best friend.In the markets, dogs are simply mutts that taste good.
DR. DOGMEAT: When was it that dogs started being treated like humans? Westerners may treat dogs like humans, but in Korea, to be called a dog-like person is the worst possible insult. [laughs] If someone is called that in a Western country, is it meant as a mark of respect? If dogs are treated like humans, they will become lowly. [laughs]Customers are allowed to choose the dog they want its then dragged away to be killed.Its all too obvious that the animal knows whats coming.The dead dog is then carved up in front of the customer, and the other animals.Some dogs are thrown into giant vats. Theyre boiled down into a juice, which is then flavoured with herbs.The result is a drink thats thought to have medicinal qualities.Technically, none of this is legal.Dogmeat occupies a very ambiguous place in Korean law.There are rules against repugnant foods, and the authorities occasionally use them to crack down on dog meat dealers but most of the time, the government simply turns a blind eye to the whole industry.In the markets, pretty much anything goes.
KUM: I consider Korea, its like a primitive society. Dogs, they will drop on the truck or whatever, they treat worse than a thing. So just horrible cruelty is created while this process is going on from the dog farm to the restaurant, its just incredible cruelty is going on.Keynan Kum and her sister run South Koreas only animal shelter.From this base in the country, theyve been waging a campaign against dog meat.Its a lonely battle the Korean media has branded the sisters, traitors and they receive torrents of hate mail.Dogs and cats we brought thousands of years ago as companion animals, never to eat as a type of livestock. We use them to live with us, to guard us, to be friends with us. This is how dogs are seen all over the world.REVERSE Why is eating dog, though, different from eating cow or sheep or some other animal?
International Aid for Korean Animals Dogs and cats are not legal meat. And carnivorous animals are not really suitable for human consumption. Thats what I believe.Keynan Kum took us to her local dog market.Here, away from Seoul, foreigners are tolerated although there were still some things we werent supposed to see.
01.03.15 So how many dogs would you say are in this particular market?At this moment about 200 dogs, I am guessing.How much does dog cost?This varies in size medium size dog costs about 200 dollars, US.How does that compare to other meats?Considering beef twice as expensive.Despite the cost, some of the animals did not look well.The Korean government insists that only farmed dogs are eaten but here, there was plenty of evidence to the contrary.These animals were once someones pets.Easy to capture pet dogs because they like people, they dont have the fear. More than 2 million dogs a year they consume in Korea. Out of that, proportionally about 20% I think are stolen pet dogs or stray pet dogs they capture.Their ultimate fate was on display for all to see and sample.All parts of the dog from its head to its skin were on sale.According to Korean media reports, some dogs are fed opium before theyre killed, to give the meat extra kick.I notice there are a lot of cats here, do people eat cats as well?Yes, but they dont eat the hair like some kind of cooking or anything like that but they just kill them and boil them to make a juice like a cure for arthritis or a cure for rheumatism. Some are domestic, and domestic cats can just be boiled alive.
MS: Boiled alive? Yeah because they can be easily handled, but something like a feral cat they cannot handle very easily so they put them in a sack and bash them on the ground, because they cannot handle them, they are too wild.We didnt find any evidence of that but we did see many cats having their skulls crushed with metal pipes.One by one the animals are dragged out of the cage, and killed.
These days, most dogs suffer a relatively quick death by electrocution.But this amateur video, shows what happens in some parts of Korea.
01.43.30 Underground, beating is still going on. Sometimes its called the picnic of death a group of men bring the dog to the mountain, they go picnic in summer time. They hang the dog on the tree and beat the dog to death, and then torch them, brown the dog and cook them right there barbeque them or whatever. Still they do, I know that.The theory is that making the dog suffer improves the quality of the meat.After ten minutes of torture, this dog is led off presumably to its death.Basically its fear. The fear brings about more hormone and stress will bring out more powerful hormone or something. See beating alive see after death beating is no good right? Alive, it means how much fear you can get. They believe that creates more potency. I just cannot understand why Korean men believe that. I just cannot understand.
Increasingly, this is not simply a clash between East and West.Here only a few kilometers from the markets theres a café where dogs are very much on the menu.But not in the way you might think here, the animals are the ones who do the ordering.The dogs can eat everything from gourmet biscuits to special steaks.In recent years, as Korea has become more affluent, places like this have boomed.While the older generation clings desperately to its dog-eating tradition, many younger people have begun to see canines as pets, rather than food.These people arent activists like Keynan Kum, but they do hold similar views about eating dogs.VOX POP I cant, theyre crazy. Theyre mentally a problem. You cant eat a dog.MS: Why is that? Why do you think its so crazy?When you see a dogs eyes, you cant eat theyre so innocent, you cant eat.According to Doctor Dogmeat, though it is these people the pet owners who are the real villains. What are pet dogs? They are mated and vaccinated. They gradually lose their ability to survive. People who demand pet dogs are actually making the dogs inferior. They are the people who are really cruel to dogs.
No surprise then, that the dog meat industry is refusing to lie down.It doesnt just want to continue dog consumption during the World Cup it wants to increase it. We have to act openly. We dont have to hide. This is not a bad food.A group of dog dealers has gathered to plan a football offensive. Dog meat is certainly our traditional food. Until now, if I told someone that I was selling dog meat theyd be surprised and say really? But, we need to think that we are right and have pride.They will use the tournament to promote their product and expect a massive increase dog meat consumption.Our Federation will hold sampling parties near World Cup venues. They will feature special menu items. We will serve dog recipes specially made for foreigners dog hamburgers or sandwiches, or sweet and sour dog for Chinese people.Koreas politicians are in on the act, too a Bill has been submitted to parliament to legalise the sale of dog meat.Dogs would be treated in the same was as cows and other livestock.The legislation has cross-party support, and is expected to pass just before the World Cup kicks off.
Dr Lee Jae Joung: Government MP (GRAB) In this time we really would like to persuade the people from overseas to understand the background of Korean culture and food tradition and especially why the people are eating dogs here. What kind of dogs are... It is very important to let them know the background and basis of that tradition.
Dog meat, then, has become a matter of national pride.So far, all the foreign pressure has achieved is to increase dog consumption.But the real test is yet to come. International animal groups plan to intensify their protests during the World Cup the same time the dog dealers will hold their campaign.The tournament kicks off in a few weeks time when it does, the fiercest battles may not be on the pitch, but in the markets not a clash of national teams, but a clash of national cultures.
FARMER: These dogs have excellent nutritional value compared to other farm animals.We raise these dogs with the same care as we would give to our children.
The World Cup is coming, and excitement is building.As one of the hosts, South Korea is preparing to welcome the world.Events like this one are being held for the benefit of foreign tourists.
LIN:We would like to showcase the uniqueness of our culture to the rest of the world, because this World Cup is the first one in Asia and the first one in the new millennium.But theres one part of Korean culture that refuses to die and its providing a very ugly sideshow to one of the worlds biggest sporting events.There are 6,000 dog restaurants in South Korea.At this one, the house special is dog stew.Opinion polls suggest one third of the population has eaten dog in the last year.According to those in the industry, its a tradition that goes back thousands of years.Dog meat is tender and tasty. The demand for this type of food has been increasing ever since I started this business.For those tucking into the dog casserole its not just a matter of tradition, but nutrition.I had tuberculosis in my body when I was a child. The disease was cured with this food. Thats why I come here to enjoy it. Also, I believe it is our traditional culture and food.Theres even talk of the hair of the dog. People say it is good for the body. Among other things, it is delicious. If a food is delicious, it is also good for your health. If you eat dog the day after a night of alcohol, it tastes even more delicious and it will relieve the hangover. Thats why I come here often.In the West, where dogs are considered loyal companions, canine cuisine has prompted howls of outrage.When Seoul hosted the Olympics in 1988, the government bowed to foreign pressure and temporarily closed restaurants like this one.
Now that South Korea is hosting the World Cup, the foreign pressure has returned.International animal groups have been campaigning hard. Theyve forced FIFA, the body that runs world soccer, to demand South Korea stop mistreating dogs.This time, though, Koreas response was very different a polite but firm, mind your own business.
World Cup Committee This issue is not connected with the World Cup preparation, however, I hope that this issue can be interpreted as a part of the diverse food culture in the world.NATSOT OPENING DOORThis man is a professor of food nutrition and South Koreas leading dog meat campaigner.Ahn Yong-Geun or Dr Dogmeat as he is known has devised 350 canine recipes.As far hes concerned, this debate is simply a matter of cultural difference eating dog is the same as eating cow or kangaroo. The foreign criticisms make no sense. Why are they concerned with dogs while there are people dying of starvation? Are dogs being exterminated in Korea? No, they are not. These criticisms are wrong.And Doctor Dogmeat has a pet theory as to why the West is so opposed to the idea of eating dog animal activists are being manipulated by the beef industry.
DR DOGMEAT: The dog meat market in Korea is worth about US$3 million a year. If the Korean people are stopped from eating dog, then the imports of beef will increase. Thats why they only criticize South Korea.
But theres a side of the dog meat trade that its advocates dont want the West to see.This is the Moran market on Seouls outskirts.Its big and bustling but in this section, foreigners and film crews are not welcome.We had to use a hidden camera to record these pictures.Up to two million canines are eaten in Korea each year.This is where many of the dogs are bought, sold and slaughtered.Animals of all types and ages are crammed into tiny, rusty cages.Theres no place here for the Western notion that a dog is mans best friend.In the markets, dogs are simply mutts that taste good.
DR. DOGMEAT: When was it that dogs started being treated like humans? Westerners may treat dogs like humans, but in Korea, to be called a dog-like person is the worst possible insult. [laughs] If someone is called that in a Western country, is it meant as a mark of respect? If dogs are treated like humans, they will become lowly. [laughs]Customers are allowed to choose the dog they want its then dragged away to be killed.Its all too obvious that the animal knows whats coming.The dead dog is then carved up in front of the customer, and the other animals.Some dogs are thrown into giant vats. Theyre boiled down into a juice, which is then flavoured with herbs.The result is a drink thats thought to have medicinal qualities.Technically, none of this is legal.Dogmeat occupies a very ambiguous place in Korean law.There are rules against repugnant foods, and the authorities occasionally use them to crack down on dog meat dealers but most of the time, the government simply turns a blind eye to the whole industry.In the markets, pretty much anything goes.
KUM: I consider Korea, its like a primitive society. Dogs, they will drop on the truck or whatever, they treat worse than a thing. So just horrible cruelty is created while this process is going on from the dog farm to the restaurant, its just incredible cruelty is going on.Keynan Kum and her sister run South Koreas only animal shelter.From this base in the country, theyve been waging a campaign against dog meat.Its a lonely battle the Korean media has branded the sisters, traitors and they receive torrents of hate mail.Dogs and cats we brought thousands of years ago as companion animals, never to eat as a type of livestock. We use them to live with us, to guard us, to be friends with us. This is how dogs are seen all over the world.REVERSE Why is eating dog, though, different from eating cow or sheep or some other animal?
International Aid for Korean Animals Dogs and cats are not legal meat. And carnivorous animals are not really suitable for human consumption. Thats what I believe.Keynan Kum took us to her local dog market.Here, away from Seoul, foreigners are tolerated although there were still some things we werent supposed to see.
01.03.15 So how many dogs would you say are in this particular market?At this moment about 200 dogs, I am guessing.How much does dog cost?This varies in size medium size dog costs about 200 dollars, US.How does that compare to other meats?Considering beef twice as expensive.Despite the cost, some of the animals did not look well.The Korean government insists that only farmed dogs are eaten but here, there was plenty of evidence to the contrary.These animals were once someones pets.Easy to capture pet dogs because they like people, they dont have the fear. More than 2 million dogs a year they consume in Korea. Out of that, proportionally about 20% I think are stolen pet dogs or stray pet dogs they capture.Their ultimate fate was on display for all to see and sample.All parts of the dog from its head to its skin were on sale.According to Korean media reports, some dogs are fed opium before theyre killed, to give the meat extra kick.I notice there are a lot of cats here, do people eat cats as well?Yes, but they dont eat the hair like some kind of cooking or anything like that but they just kill them and boil them to make a juice like a cure for arthritis or a cure for rheumatism. Some are domestic, and domestic cats can just be boiled alive.
MS: Boiled alive? Yeah because they can be easily handled, but something like a feral cat they cannot handle very easily so they put them in a sack and bash them on the ground, because they cannot handle them, they are too wild.We didnt find any evidence of that but we did see many cats having their skulls crushed with metal pipes.One by one the animals are dragged out of the cage, and killed.
These days, most dogs suffer a relatively quick death by electrocution.But this amateur video, shows what happens in some parts of Korea.
01.43.30 Underground, beating is still going on. Sometimes its called the picnic of death a group of men bring the dog to the mountain, they go picnic in summer time. They hang the dog on the tree and beat the dog to death, and then torch them, brown the dog and cook them right there barbeque them or whatever. Still they do, I know that.The theory is that making the dog suffer improves the quality of the meat.After ten minutes of torture, this dog is led off presumably to its death.Basically its fear. The fear brings about more hormone and stress will bring out more powerful hormone or something. See beating alive see after death beating is no good right? Alive, it means how much fear you can get. They believe that creates more potency. I just cannot understand why Korean men believe that. I just cannot understand.
Increasingly, this is not simply a clash between East and West.Here only a few kilometers from the markets theres a café where dogs are very much on the menu.But not in the way you might think here, the animals are the ones who do the ordering.The dogs can eat everything from gourmet biscuits to special steaks.In recent years, as Korea has become more affluent, places like this have boomed.While the older generation clings desperately to its dog-eating tradition, many younger people have begun to see canines as pets, rather than food.These people arent activists like Keynan Kum, but they do hold similar views about eating dogs.VOX POP I cant, theyre crazy. Theyre mentally a problem. You cant eat a dog.MS: Why is that? Why do you think its so crazy?When you see a dogs eyes, you cant eat theyre so innocent, you cant eat.According to Doctor Dogmeat, though it is these people the pet owners who are the real villains. What are pet dogs? They are mated and vaccinated. They gradually lose their ability to survive. People who demand pet dogs are actually making the dogs inferior. They are the people who are really cruel to dogs.
No surprise then, that the dog meat industry is refusing to lie down.It doesnt just want to continue dog consumption during the World Cup it wants to increase it. We have to act openly. We dont have to hide. This is not a bad food.A group of dog dealers has gathered to plan a football offensive. Dog meat is certainly our traditional food. Until now, if I told someone that I was selling dog meat theyd be surprised and say really? But, we need to think that we are right and have pride.They will use the tournament to promote their product and expect a massive increase dog meat consumption.Our Federation will hold sampling parties near World Cup venues. They will feature special menu items. We will serve dog recipes specially made for foreigners dog hamburgers or sandwiches, or sweet and sour dog for Chinese people.Koreas politicians are in on the act, too a Bill has been submitted to parliament to legalise the sale of dog meat.Dogs would be treated in the same was as cows and other livestock.The legislation has cross-party support, and is expected to pass just before the World Cup kicks off.
Dr Lee Jae Joung: Government MP (GRAB) In this time we really would like to persuade the people from overseas to understand the background of Korean culture and food tradition and especially why the people are eating dogs here. What kind of dogs are... It is very important to let them know the background and basis of that tradition.
Dog meat, then, has become a matter of national pride.So far, all the foreign pressure has achieved is to increase dog consumption.But the real test is yet to come. International animal groups plan to intensify their protests during the World Cup the same time the dog dealers will hold their campaign.The tournament kicks off in a few weeks time when it does, the fiercest battles may not be on the pitch, but in the markets not a clash of national teams, but a clash of national cultures.