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International Animal Rights Organization demands stopping of dog slaughter

Source: t-broad Busan News, 4/17/14. http://blog.naver.com/tbroadbusan?Redirect=Log&logNo=60213141073

International Animal Rights Organization demands stopping of dog slaughter

[Caption]

Anchor:
The Gupo Livestock Market has always been in the center of constant civil complaints from the nearby residents and animal protection organizations.
Even an international animal protection organization has visited and asked to stop the dog slaughter and the dog meat culture. The dog traders strongly opposed their appeal. Dong-Won Jang reports.

Reporter:
This is the livestock market at the Busan Gukgu Gupo Market.
This is the only market in Busan where dogs, chickens, ducks , rabbits , etc are slaughtered and sold on the spot.

This market has been in existence for several decades but due to the increase in awareness about animals and the fact that there are schools and residential areas nearby, civil complaints about this market are made constantly. The reasons for the civil complaints are the scene of animals in cages, disgusting stench, noise,…etc.

On April 17th an international animal protection organization visited the Gupo Market and asked for it to change. They asked to stop the slaughter of dogs and to end the dog meat trade. In addition, they pointed out the Korea’s culture of dog meat.

Interview: David Neale/Animals Asia, Director of Animal Welfare – “These dogs are exactly the same. There is no division between the dogs which is raised for meat and the dogs which is raised for pets. A dog is a dog. They are exactly the same. They have the same senses, they have the same emotions, and they have the same feeling.”

The dog traders’ position is that they cannot agree with his opinion. The dog traders argue that for the past 400 years, livestock animals were sold at the Gupo Market and all the dog traders are small merchants so they cannot stop selling dogs without any other alternatives and the dog meat culture is part of Korea’s native culture.

Interview: Hong-Seong Dae/Manager of the Gupo Market Livestock Trader’s Association – “Your action to sanction the practice that is not banned by our Korean law is a cultural invasion against our nation’s traditional food culture as well as an interference in our domestic affairs and an infringement of our sovereignty.”

The animal protection organization stated that they will find a nourishing food that is legal and will suggest to the merchants that they sell it instead.

The merchants showed a willingness to improve(change).

We have been considering moving the livestock market underground and introducing a state of the art facility for slaughtering.

Interview: Yong-Ho Park/President of the Gupo Market Livestock Trader’s Association – “We are all small merchants who carried on this business for many years. If we had the money to be in other businesses, we would have. We have been working in this business for many decades because we don’t have the money. We are thinking of several alternatives but we don’t have the budget…”

In addition, they also demanded legislation over the dog meat culture as well as the management of the “disgusting” facility.

They stated that if operating their business within the current law is a problem, then they demand a new law.

Interview: Heon-Young Park/President of the Gupo Market Merchant’s Association – “Our government shouldn’t tell us to stop eating dog meat only when there is a large international event being held here. International organizations should put the pressure on our government. If our government legislates a law we will comply with them.”

After the meeting with the merchants, the international animal protection organization visited the organizing committee for the Busan International Film Festival and demanded the creation of a program for the animal protection related film during the festival.

Merchant’s view of “animals for the human”, animal protection organization’s view of “animals that coexists with human”. Their tense conflict continues.

동물보호단체, 개 도축 중단 요구

<앵커>
구포가축시장은 인근 주민들과 동물보호단체들로 부터 민원이 끊이지 않는 곳인데요. 국제동물보호단체까지 방문해 개 도축과 개고기 문화를 시정해줄 것을 요구했습니다. 상인들은 크게 반발했습니다. 장동원 기잡니다.

<리포트>
북구 구포시장 내 가축시장입니다.

개와 닭, 오리, 토끼 등이 도축되고 팔리는 곳으로 부산에선 유일합니다.

수십년 째 자리잡고 있는 시장이지만 동물에 대한 인식이 달라지고 있고, 인근에 학교와 주택가가 있어 시장에 대한 민원은 끊이지 않고 있습니다.

우리에 갖힌 동물 모습, 역한 냄새와 소음 등이 이윱니다.

17일엔 국제동물보호단체가 구포시장을 방문해 시정을 요구했습니다.

이들은 개 도축을 중단하고, 시장 영업도 자제해 줄 것을 요구했습니다. 이와 함께 우리나라의 개고기 문화도 지적했습니다.

INT) 데이브 닐/아시아동물보호협회 동물복지담당 이사 – “개를 식용과 애완용으로 구분할 수 없습니다. 개는 모두 똑같은 개입니다. 개들도 똑같이 감각과 감정 등이 있습니다.”

상인들은 이들의 의견에 동의할 수 없다는 입장입니다.

구포에서 가축이 팔린지는 400년이 넘었고 모두가 영세 상인이라 대안없이 동물만을 위해 영업을 중단할 수 없고, 개고기 문화는 한국의 고유문화라는 주장입니다.

INT) 홍성대/구포가축종합시장 총무 – “우리민족의 전통 음식문화에 대한 문화침해이며 대한민국 법률로 정해지지 않은 사안에 대해 제재 조치를 취하려는 행위는 내정간섭, 주권침해에 해당되는 행위다.”

동물보호단체는 개를 제외한 합법적인 스태미너 음식을 발굴해 상인들에게 제안하겠다고 밝혔습니다.

상인들도 개선의지를 내비쳤습니다.

가축시장을 지하화하고 첨단 도축시설 도입을 염두에 둔 상탭니다.

INT) 박용호/구포가축종합시장 상인회장 – “많은 세월을 여기에 종사해왔고 영세상입니다. 돈이 있으면 다른 업종으로 바꼈겠지만 돈이 없기 때문에 수십년을 해온 일을 할 수 밖에 없었습니다. 대안을 몇가지 생각하고 있는데 예산이 없어서..”

한편 혐오시설에 대한 관리와 개고기 문화에 대한 법제화도 요구했습니다.

현행법을 준수하면서 행해지는 영업이 문제가 된다면 새로운 법을 만들어달라는 것입니다.

INT) 박헌영/구포시장 상인회장 – “세계적인 이유로 큰 국제적인 행사할 때만 개고기를 먹지말라고 정부에서 할 것이 아니고 국제 단체에서 압력을 가하라니까. 법을 만들면 우리도 그 범주 내에서 하겠다는 얘기야.”

국제동물보호단체는 이날 상인과의 면담을 마친 후 부산국제영화제 조직위원회를 방문해 영화제 기간 동물보호 영화 프로그램 운영을 요구했습니다.

상인들이 생각하는 ‘사람을 위한 동물’, 동물보호단체가 생각하는 ‘사람과 함께하는 동물’.

이들의 팽팽한 대립은 계속되고 있습니다.

<촬영: 김희수>

< 장동원 기자 / [email protected] / 티브로드 보도본부 부산보도국 / 기사입력 : 2014-04-18 17:16:54.0 >

  1. Janette Nordstrom
    Janette NordstromJune 9,14

    This is disgusting for an animal that is a pet including dogs and cats should never be used as food! I feel they are making excuses from what they have done in the past and it needs to stop! Society will not stand for this especially in the West! Its bad enough from all the abused and cruelty that society has engaged!

  2. Norman Stredwick
    Norman StredwickJuly 1,14

    Eating of dogs and cats is obscene, how any human being can eat these animals is shocking, these animals are family loving animals who like the company of humans, they give great comfort to people, how on earth can Asia be so evil in this day and age, you are a ignorant people and we will
    not not give up the West to stop this cruelty happening in Asia

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