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[Breaking News] No more displaying or slaughtering of dogs within the notorious Seongnam Moran Market

[Breaking News] No more display or slaughter of dogs in notorious Seongnam Moran Market
Photo, from SaveKoreanDogs: Seongnam Mayor making a speech at the press conference, after the Agreement Signing Ceremony. The banner hanging behind him states “companion animals are our family”.

We received a copy of the following memorandum from SaveKoreanDogs.
It was sent by the City of Seongnam requesting publicity for the ceremony that will be held for the Agreement reached between the City and the Seongnam Moran Market dog meat vendors: that they will remove all displays of dogs, and stop the slaughtering of dogs within Moran Market. However, before we pop the champagne, we must make it clear that this agreement DOES NOT STOP THE SALE OF DOG MEAT at this market. It only bans the display of live dogs in cages, as well as on site slaughter. Therefore slaughtering will still continue elsewhere, outside of the Moran Market, and these dog meat vendors can continue to sell dog meat.

Nevertheless, being unable to display live dogs or carry out on-the-spot slaughtering will definitely have a negative impact on their business. As such, this is a big step forward, as well as a victory for the countless animal activists who have campaigned for many years to shut this place down. Much more work and campaigning will be needed to stop the selling of dog meat altogether at this market, as well as throughout Korea.

Below is a translation of the memorandum:


City of Seongnam

Regarding: Request for public relations regarding the Moran Market environmental modification.
1. This is in regards to Policy Planning Division – Number 21387 (2016.12.12.).

2. Moran Market, which has many dog vendors, used to be on the outskirt of our city. However, despite the fact that it is now in the center of the city, due to the development of the city and the transportation, it still displays dogs, goats, chickens etc., for sale, causing numerous civil complaints about noise, foul stench, etc. Therefore, as a result of continuous communication between the city and the Moran Market Trade Association, we have reached an agreement on a “Moran Market Environmental Modification” and will be holding an agreement ceremony below.

  • Date/time: December 13 (Tuesday), 2016. 10AM
  • Location: Situation Room (Dong-gwan 9th Floor, Agreement Ceremony), Hanuri Room (Dong-gwan 3rd floor, Press Conference)
  • Host to the Agreement: City of Seongnam, Moran Market Livestock Trade Association
  • Content of the Agreement:
    Vendors: Will not display dogs in cages for purpose of sale, will not slaughter dogs within Moran Market. (Voluntary taking down of related facilities)
    City of Seongnam: Provide support for conversion of business, relocation of business, environmental modification and administrative support.
  • The End.

signthepetition

seongnam-memorandum-regarding-dog-meat-business_121216

Video, from SaveKoreanDogs: Mayor Jae-Myung Lee making a speech. He states “I receive many, many emails in English and foreign languages from all over the world, it’s all about the dog meat market and slaughtering. It’s time we bring changes in the city.”

Video, from SaveKoreanDogs: Representative of the dog meat vendors is answering questions.

Seongnam Moran Dog Meat Market. 12/2014. Photo: Nami Kim. https://www.facebook.com/savekoreandogs

Seongnam Moran Dog Meat Market. 12/2014. Photo: Nami Kim. SaveKoreanDogs https://www.facebook.com/savekoreandogs

Click HERE to read news by The Korea Herald, “Illegal dog slaughter to be banned in Moran Market”

Click HERE to read news by News1 (in Korean), “모란시장 불법 개 도축, 역사 속으로 사라진다”

Below is the translation of content of the Agreement, including the timeline for execution of the terms.

Main content of the consultation

Market Traders association: Will not display dogs in cages for purpose of sale, will not slaughter dogs within Moran Market. (Related facilities will be taken down)

City of Seongnam: Will support for the conversion of business, relocation of business, environmental modification and administrative support.

  • Lead the re-signing of contract to reduce rent, etc
  • Help find low interest loan for capital needed to change business
  • Training, consulting and management/marketing business support
  • Individualized job placement for workers
  • Grant right of residency to city-owned vacant store spaces
  • Official traditional market registration and environmental modification. (rain shields, signboard, pedestrian passage,)
  • Host a public forum for citizens and government.

  • Date: Early January 2017.
  • Location: Hannuri room (City Hall 3rd floor)
  • Participants: Approximately 100 people, including the Mayor of Seongnam, National Assembly members, animal welfare organizations, dog farmers, citizens, relevant government officials.
  • Topic: Public forum to solve the dog meat consumption issue.
  • Environmental modification implementation schedule

    main-content-of-the-agreement_seongnam-moran-market

    [Attachment] Seongnam Moran Market Environmental Modification Project

    Moran Market, which has many dog vendors, used to be on the outskirts of our city. However, despite the fact that it is now in the center of the city, due to the development of new cities such as Bundang and Pangyo as well as development of transportation, it still displays dogs, goats, chickens etc., for sale, causing numerous civil complaints about noise, foul stench, etc. Therefore, as a result of continuous communication between the city and the Moran Market Trade Association, we have reached an agreement on a “Moran Market Environmental Modification”. This project’s objective is to foster a more pleasant city environment.

    Current State of Moran Livestock Market

    Location: Joongwon-gu Seongnam-dong 4183-bungi region
    Number of stores: 22. (Wholesale 6, wholesale/retail 16)
    Leasing Status: Own 5%, Lease 95%
    Store structure: Approximately 60 square meter (2-5 cages per store)
    => Slaughter facilities are installed inside the store (area: approximately 10 square meter)
    Distribution size (Estimated): On average approximately 220 dogs per day (80,000 dogs per year)*
    *This is an estimate provided by the Moran Market Livestock Trade Association.

    Plan Details
    Formation and operation of Livestock Market Environmental Modification Task Force Team

    7/14/2016: Meeting with the presiding Deputy mayor to discuss Moran Market environmental modification.
    7/22/2016: Formation of environmental improvement task force team (11 departments including the deputy mayor)
    7/22-12/9/2016: Environmental improvement task force team operation – 9 times
    8/18/2016: Held a meeting with the dog meat traders with the presiding Deputy Mayor (4 traders, 8 city officials)

    Formation and operation of Livestock Traders Association Council

    9/28-12/5/2016: City of Seongnam-Traders Association Council group meeting operation – 10 times
    12/1/2016: Study tours to Sokcho, Jumunjin Seafood Markets (21 traders, 2 city officials)

    Seongnam Moran Market_Agreement_121316_P2

    Seongnam Moran Market_Agreement_121316

    [Update February 26, 2017]Seongnam has begun removing slaughter facilities from the Moran Dog Meat Market. Dogs will be slaughtered somewhere else.

    The Korea Herald reported that the “Seongnam City Government began Monday a process to remove butchery facilities from South Korea’s largest dog meat market, but was shortly interrupted by angry vendors who went against the removal” with a video from the scene.

    Nami Kim with SaveKoreanDogs.org posted on Facebook: “It is Mayor Lee who is so determined to remove the slaughter facilities at the Moran dog meat market. Meanwhile, the business will go on as usual until the mayor comes up with some very attractive alternatives. It was at 10 am this morning when the chief made it official, despite some vendors against the idea and shouting and interrupting the press release. The vendors/butchers will have to buy the meat from wholesalers somewhere else. There is talk that this market will be shutting down, which means fewer buyers will come to buy the meat here. This is one way of reducing the consumption of the meat. It was a good day for the dogs. All baby steps will bring a huge leap one day, just like the Berlin Wall.”

    1. Judith Smyth
      Judith SmythDecember 13,16

      Koreans, you as the rest of other humans in other parts of the world, inflict unnecessary pain in the most evil manner, to so many beautiful souls. You just take it to another level.

    2. Kathy fleming
      Kathy flemingDecember 13,16

      But does it just mean they will do it in secret? And will it keep people who might be opposed to it from seeing it happen? The girl in the photo, is she looking at the dogs out of compassion, or because she wants to buy the meat? Surely not everyone can just walk by without feeling anything??

      I’m sure you know best, but just removing the torture from view, how can that help? My heart is breaking. I sign every petition and I will adopt one of your dogs as soon as I can, but I just don’t understand how people can watch such pain and suffering and feel no empathy.

    3. Julie Tidball
      Julie TidballDecember 13,16

      Stop the slaughter of the innocent

    4. kassidy
      kassidyDecember 14,16

      No more dog meat please!!

    5. Iipa Virta
      Iipa VirtaDecember 14,16

      STOP ANIMAL TORTURE! NO MORE DOG MEAT !!

    6. Ruth Gregg
      Ruth GreggDecember 14,16

      END this EVIL BARBARIC Cruelty. The world is watching, and is disgusted. Remember the greatness of a Country is judged on the way it’s animals are treated. Your Country should be ashamed.

    7. Karen
      KarenDecember 22,16

      Stop killing dogs for meat ..

    8. Basabi Banerjee
      Basabi BanerjeeDecember 26,16

      A crime hidden doesn’t suggest it’s termination. Now the profanity is going to be practised elsewhere behind the view of the protesters and activists. The underground continuation of barbarism can’t fool the world

    9. Janet
      JanetDecember 27,16

      These people are so disgusting. How can they do this to these poor animals. The way that they kill them is what makes me sick. Stop animal torture!!!

    10. Christina Brown
      Christina BrownDecember 31,16

      I use to eat chickens, cows, pigs, and fish here in Canada, because I was raised that way and I was told that everything was done humanely, and that the animals did not suffer, and that our governments protected them, and I believed all this up until just over a year ago, when I learned that the suffering of animals was immense. Since I became aware of the sadistic cruelty of animals for consumption, etc., I have not eaten anymore animals, nor consumed their eggs or milk. I have come to realize that to do so is nothing but barbaric, and also as long as money and profits are in the mix of animals being used for whatever, there will always be abuse. So I will not support any industries ever again who exploit animals for whatever means. It is just all so wrong to do the things these people do to animals and wrong to support these cruelties!!! I hope people all over the world will very soon wake up and realize this, and come to know that animals do not deserve to be treated so vile and wickedly! Humans are the very worst species on earth for cruelty & vileness!

    11. Patricia Frederick
      Patricia FrederickFebruary 27,17

      You are me Christina Brown. Now no meat, milk, or eggs. Saw such inhumane cruelty to all animals. Cannot kill something for food. I don’t miss any of it. People should wake up someday.

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