The Eyes, Voice & Ears Of NYC, Inc.; and New York
Activists and Groups Protest Korea's Illegal Dog Meat Trade.
To all animal-protection organizations and friends of
animals,
Please join us.
IAKA and animal-protection activists in New York will
stage two demonstrations, in front of the United Nations building in NYC
and in Koreatown in Flushing, NY to protest the cruel and illegal
slaughter and consumption of companion animals in Korea.
This event takes place in June because every year at
this time dog meat consumption escalates in anticipation of the Korean
"Bok" holidays (literally "sweltering dog days" of summer), when the
vicious practice of beating, electrocuting, and often skinning dogs
alive for boshintang (dog meat stew) peaks to celebrate Bok days.
The goal of the protest is to highlight the Korean
Government's failure to enforce its own Animal Protection Law that bans
cruelty to animals, and that specifically bans the slaughter and
consumption of dogs. The Korean Animal Protection Society (the leading
animal protection group in Korea) and it sister organization,
International Aid for Korean Animals based in California, have
called for worldwide demonstrations and boycotts of Korean goods until
the government enforces the Animal Protection Law and ends the dog meat
trade.
Corporate sponsors of the 2002 Soccer World Cup in South
Korea are also being asked to withdraw their support until the
government takes action.
In South Korea, some people believe that torturing a dog
to death produces better-tasting flesh with aphrodisiac qualities, so
animals are routinely killed by hanging, prolonged beatings, and
electrocution. Dogs are commonly skinned alive.
Some South Koreans also torture cats by hitting them on
the head repeatedly with hammers or by placing them in sacks which are
then pounded on the ground. The cats, often still alive, are thrown into
large pots of boiling water and cooked with ginger, dates and chestnuts
until liquefied to a brown paste called goyangi soju, which is
mistakenly thought to be a remedy for rheumatism and joint problems. But
Dr. Kim, Sung Yun, a medical doctor and professor researching rheumatoid
arthritis at Hanyang Medical School said in a Chosunilbo newspaper
article that cars are absolutely "not effective" in the treatment of
arthritis. "It's a myth," he concluded.
Kyenan Kum, spokesperson for the Korean Animal
Protection Society said, "This is not an issue of "cultural
differences." Caring Koreans and most people worldwide know that no
animal should be intentionally tortured and abused. Cats and dogs are
simply not appropriate for human consumption because they often bite and
fight back against their abusers. This leads to terrible cruelty and
suffering. The Korean government recognized this fact when they created
the Animal Protection Act, but now a few politically powerful dog
dealers are preventing enforcement of Korean law. We need the help of
caring people everywhere to stamp out this abuse once and for all."
When & Where: Thursday, June 29, 2000 at 12:00 noon
Across from 866 United Nations Plaza, in the park on the
corner of First and West 47th streets NYC, NY
When & Where: Saturday July 1, 2000 at 12:00 noon
Flushing Library, Main Street, Flushing, NY
Contact: Kyenan Kum, International Aid for Korean
Animals
P.O. Box 20600
Oakland, CA 94620-0600
Tel. (510) 271-6795
e-mailto:kaps@koreananimals.org
www.koreananimals.org
The Eyes, Voice & Ears of New York City, Inc.
Tel./Fax. (718) 628-6371
eyesvoiceears@aol.com
The source of the following is Wim de Kok <wdekok@yahoo.com>:
The flyer about the New York protest rallies for Korean
Dogs is now available for download at http://worldanimal.net. The
download will allow you to print high quality flyers at home or from a
floppy disk at the copy shop. Order leaflets by mail from Garo Alexanian:
pettalklive@crosswinds.net
Go on to Peace for
the New Millennium: Conference on Non-Violence to All Creatures
Return to 14 June 200 Issue
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