Shadow Companions Australia

This page provides the latest News on the fight for the rights of dogs and cats. We do not keep archives of our News items, only the items that appear here are available.

KAPS/IAKA received a letter recently from Chun Am (a pseudonym), a Korean citizen who had witnessed shocking cruelty against dogs. Please find the letter on our eyewitness page. KAPS/IAKA is asking everyone to circulate this letter as widely as possible, and to send it by regular mail or by email to Korean Government officials (follow our links to find email and snail mail addresses for Officials), to demonstrate the realities of the cruelty against animals in Korea and that many Korean citizens are against the brutal torture of dogs and the Governments refusal to enforce Koreas existing animal protection Laws.

Please send your strong protest letters with a copy of Chun Am’s letter to as many Korean government officials, Korean Embassies and Korean companies as you can.

Just copy 'n' Paste the letter into an email and send.

In response to an article in the Korea Herald about the Government strengthening the current Animal Protection Laws, IAKA/KAPS has issued these to sample letters to send to the Acting Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Welfare.
When writing your own letter IAKA/KAPS ask: Please do not emphasize the cruelty or inhumanity issues. Make a clear point about banning the practice of dog and cat consumption. Focusing on cruelty issues and asking for humane slaughtering risks supporting the legalization of dogmeat.

Prime Minister (Acting)

Prime Minister Chang Sang
77-6 Sejong-Ro, Jongno-gu,
Seoul, South Korea 110-050

Dear Prime Minister Chang:

I am writing in response to the statements an official from the Prime Minister’s office made that were published in the Korea Herald on July 1, 2002. The official speaks of strengthening laws to prevent inhumane slaughtering of dogs, but because dogs are not considered livestock it is illegal for them to be slaughtered for consumption at all.

     According to the Korean Animal Protection Act of 1991, article 6 states that no one shall kill animals in a way which is cruel or which provokes disgust without proper, rational reason. Article 8 states that when animals have to be slaughtered with proper rational reason, to the maximum extent possible, methods without pain must be used.

     I am petitioning you to enforce the maximum penalty for any individuals violating these laws, and to strengthen the law in such a way to make it clearly enforceable.

     In addition, dogs are not classified as livestock under the Livestock Product Sanitation and Inspection Act, and any individual slaughtering dog for food is committing an illegal act, regardless of how humanely or inhumanely the dog is killed. And, according to the Ministry of Health Food and Sanitation Laws of June 1984, Articles 31 and 42, soups or seasoned broth which contain meat or other materials obtained from dogs have been classified as “disgusting foods,” making it illegal to make and sell. Any restaurant owner or food distributor who offers these dog products to customers is committing an illegal act and should be prosecuted accordingly.

   I am asking that you look to your own laws and enforce the illegal slaughtering and consumption of dog meat. Strengthen the existing laws to make them clear and enforceable on a local level, and lay the foundation so that a complete ban of dog and cat consumption can be possible in the near future.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

Ministry of Health and Welfare

Minister Lee, Tae-Bok
The Ministry of Health and Welfare
1 Joongang-dong
Kwanchun City, Kyoungki-do
South Korea 427-760
minister@mohw.go.kr

Dear Minister Lee:

I am writing to protest the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s failure to enforce its own food and sanitation laws, as enacted in June 1984, with respect to the consumption of dogs and cats.

According to Articles 31 and 42, restaurant business owners and food distributors selling livestock meat that has not been inspected by sanitation laws, are committing an illegal act. This raises two points: dogs and cats are not classified as livestock, and are therefore not inspected as such and cannot be sold as food. Secondly, in Article 42 under Food Sanitation Enforcement Regulations, dog soup and dog juice are defined as “repugnant foods” and cannot be sold. Individuals who have violated these laws are allowed two warnings before a seven-day suspension from operation. Businesses operating without a permit shall be prosecuted, as well.

I am asking that you look to your own laws and enforce them to the maximum penalty possible. I also ask that you strengthen the existing laws to make them easily and realistically enforceable on the local level. I, along with animal defenders worldwide, am calling for a complete ban on the consumption of dog meat in South Korea and will continue to protest and boycott Korean goods and businesses until there is a complete ban in place.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

On August 16, the Korean Animal Protection Society announced plans to file a lawsuit against the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug Administration for failing to enforce the laws against the selling of dog soup.

The Ministry of Health has failed for 18 years to enforce the 1984 Food and Sanitation Law which declares that dog soup is a repugnant food and therefore illegal to sell.

Sunnan Kum of KAPS has stated that she "can no longer tolerate this or ignore this matter, and [she has] given an ultimatum to the Minister of Health that [she] is going to take action according to the law.” KAPS is awaiting a response letter from the Minister of Health, and will proceed step by step to file a lawsuit with its members.

Individual members of KAPS will file lawsuits against the Ministry until the Law is enforced. The members intend with the help of a low cost Lawyer to continue filing the Lawsuits in the tens and hundred.

Here is a sample letter to send in support of the Law suits.

Dear Minister/Director:
I am outraged by the hubristic display of the dog dealers as they flaunt their illegal wares without fear of punishment. They continue to commit atrocities against the dogs and cats of Korea secure in the knowledge that they will not be held accountable for their crimes, beyond a mere slap on the wrist. I implore you to enforce the Food and Sanitation Laws of 1984 banning dog soup, and to implement new strong legislation against the selling of dog and cat meat. I fully support the KAPS organization in their lawsuit against the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug Administration for failure to enforce its own laws banning dog soup.
(Your name)

Addresses:

The Ministry of Health and Welfare
1 Jungang-dong
Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province
South Korea 427-760
Fax: 82-2-503-7568
webmaster@mohw.go.kr

Director of Korean Food and Drug Administration
5 Nokbun-dong
Unpyoung-gu