Sister City Campaign - Wonju, South Korea – Roanoke, Virginia - Stop the Dog and Cat Consumption in S. Korea!

Sister City Campaign – Wonju, South Korea – Roanoke, Virginia

posted by KoreanDogs.org team on August 28,2024 in Uncategorized

✳️ This campaign replaces our previous campaign.

Roanoke: Tell Sister City, Wonju, South Korea, that you oppose the torture and consumption of dogs and cats.

If you want to help fight the grisly South Korean dog and cat meat trade and make a difference in South Korea, here are a few quick actions you can take that could save millions of dogs and cats each year.

Wonju became a Sister City with Roanoke, Virginia, in 1965.

Roanoke and Wonju, South Korea celebrate 60 years as sister cities. 5/17/2024, WSLS 10 News.

Video: Dog farm in Wonju, South Korea. Inside a dog meat farm near Winter Olympics. USA Today.
💡 Click on the video screen one more time to play video.

The “Special Bill to end the breeding, slaughter, and distribution of dogs for consumption and dog meat consumption” was passed by South Korea’s National Assembly on January 9, 2024, mandating the cessation of all related operations. However, the dog meat trade has always been illegal, and despite this new legislation, there has been no change, and the situation remains dire for the dogs confined in dog farms across the country.

In Wonju, there are numerous dog farms, slaughterhouses, markets, and restaurants where the dogs, who have been tortured their entire lives, end up being slaughtered in the most inhumane ways, such as by electrocution, hanging, or beating, and then thrown into boiling water – sometimes while they are still alive. In many places, dogs are being killed in full view of other terrified, caged dogs, and this takes place in broad daylight. In addition, many abandoned and stolen former pets end up in this industry and are subject to the same cruelty.

Video: Hellish dog farm in Wonju, South Korea.

USA Today –Inside the grim scene of a Korean dog meat farm, just miles from the Winter Olympics 021218

Wonju, South Korea’s dog farms. USA Today.

A Search Engine reveals the sickening scale of Wonju’s dog meat demand.

Search results on Naver, the most popular search engine in Korea, revealed the prevalence of so-called “Health Centers” that often sell dog elixirs and cat elixirs, also known as dog soju and cat soju. Additionally, numerous listings for “dog meat restaurants” indicated a significant presence of such establishments in the Wonju area.

Even if only half of these “Health” Centers and dog meat restaurants incorporate dog and cat “ingredients” in some form, the number of dog and cat farms and slaughterhouses required to supply these outlets is staggering.

There are laws in South Korea against selling dogs and cats for consumption, yet these laws are blatantly ignored.

✍ Sign the Petition

Call for Action

📧 Send emails to the Mayor and the City Councilmembers of Roanoke.

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

📧 CC (Carbon Copy) email to the Wonju City Council, Gangwon-do Council, and the South Korean National Assembly members.

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📬Send letters.

Roanoke City Council
City of Roanoke
Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building
215 Church Avenue
Roanoke, Virginia 24011-1594
USA

📬 Send a copy of your letter to Wonju Government.

Mayor Won Gang-Su
Wonju City Hall
1 Sicheong-ro, Wonju, Gangwon-do
Postal Code 26384
South Korea

Wonju City Council
1 Sicheong-ro, Wonju, Gangwon-do
Postal Code 26384
South Korea

📬 Wonju Government’s addresses in Korean:

원강수 원주시장님
원주시청
(26384) 강원도 원주시 시청로 1
South Korea

원주시의회
(26384) 강원도 원주시 시청로 1
South Korea
Send a message through Facebook pages.
Roanoke
Wonju
Wonju Mayor Won Gang-su

📝 Suggested message

Roanoke City Council: Please tell Sister City, Wonju, South Korea, that you oppose the torture and consumption of dogs and cats.

Dear Mayor Lea and Members of the Roanoke City Council,

As representatives of Roanoke, we implore you to reconsider your Sister City agreement with Wonju, South Korea, a city that permits dogs and cats to be horribly abused and brutally killed for food.

While graphic, these undercover videos depicting South Korea’s dog meat industry are important to watch:
Part 1 of 2: https://youtu.be/_ZVQjgGb4RQ
Part 2 of 2: https://vimeo.com/754160791
Inside the grim scene of a Korean dog meat farm, just miles from the Winter Olympics: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/winter-olympics-2018/2018/02/12/inside-grim-scene-korean-dog-meat-farm-miles-winter-olympics/328322002/
Forest fire in Uljin burns dogs imprisoned in dog meat farms: https://youtu.be/mh1lEGt2gjU
https://youtu.be/GLLeI_XFNPg
Dogs who suffered their entire lives are electric tortured and killed in cages—South Korea’s horrific dog meat industry. https://koreandogs.org/jtbc-news-electric-tortured-in-cages/

Despite the passage of the “Special Bill to end the breeding, slaughter, and distribution of dogs for consumption and dog meat consumption” by South Korea’s National Assembly on January 9, 2024, which mandates all operations to cease, the situation remains dire. Dogs confined in dog farms in Wonju and across South Korea continue to suffer immensely.

Countless dogs endure unbearable conditions at the below dog farms and dog slaughterhouses in Wonju.
Gangwon-do Wonju Gahyeon-dong San 70 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Dangu-dong San 112-1 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Musil-dong 129-4 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Musil-dong 887-29 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Munmak-eup Gungchon-ri 1281 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Munmak-eup Chuibyeong-ri 116 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Bongsan-dong 739 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Buron-myeon Norim-ri San 66
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Dundun-ri 637 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Suam-ri 1158 beonji oe 1 pilji
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Suam-ri 1283 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Pyeongjang-ri 1321 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Pyeongjang-ri 515-1 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Pyeongjang-ri 653-1 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Socho-myeon Heungyang-ri 154-2 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Shinlim-myeon Shinlim-ri 390-7 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Jijeong-myeonGagok-ri San 96 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Jijeong-myeon Botong-ri 313-1 beonji oe 1 pilji
Gangwon-do Wonju Taejang-dong 39-2 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Gwanggeok-ri 925 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Daedeok-ri 124 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Daedeok-ri 345 beonji oe 1 pilji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Daedeok-ri 942 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Daedeok-ri 944 oe 1 pilji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Jusan-ri 660 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Hojeo-myeon Jusan-ri 896 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Heungeop-myeon Daean-ri 810 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Heungeop-myeon Maeji-ri 1647-1 beonji
Gangwon-do Wonju Heungeop-myeon Heungeop-ri 264-1 beonji

Wonju has a large dog meat industry. Korean web searches turn up dozens of dog meat restaurants and so-called “Health Centers” that commonly serve soup made of dog meat as phony elixirs (also known as dog soju).

Dogs suffer their entire lives in filthy, feces-encrusted raised wire cages in dire misery only to be slaughtered in the most horrific of ways— tortured by electrocution, hammer strikes to their head, hanging, being beaten to death, having their throats slit, being burned alive with a blowtorch or thrown into a vat of boiling water while still alive. In many places, dogs are killed in full view of other caged dogs who tremble with terror. These poor dogs are often burned alive in their cages, unable to escape. They are fed rotten, moldy garbage full of chili peppers unfit for any animals to eat, and they are not given water. In addition, beloved pets are often stolen and sold to these slaughterhouses, where they meet the same horrific fate. Puppies who die of disease are tossed away like trash, often left in front of cages to rot while their mothers watch and cry out in despair. The dog farms and slaughterhouses in Wonju persist in violating multiple existing laws, but the Wonju government’s response has been inadequate, reflecting a shameful indifference to animal suffering.

Mayor Christopher Chung of Palisades Park, New Jersey, has already shown his rejection of the dog meat trade in no uncertain terms. As reported in the Korea Times, he recently rejected a visit from exchange students from the Sister city, Incheon Ganghwa County, due to its dog meat trade. In California, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting legislation or administrative action that would request the governments of South Korea, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia ban the sale of dog meat and enforce their animal protection laws.

On behalf of animal lovers worldwide, we ask that you follow these bold leads by not remaining silent in the face of such abhorrent cruelty. Please urge Wonju Mayor Won Gang-Su to shut down all dog farms, slaughterhouses, markets, dog meat restaurants, and truckers transporting dogs to their inevitable fates. An online petition calling for your support in ending such horrors perpetrated in Wonju is in progress: https://chng.it/9XcyT47Xrv.

Thank you for your serious consideration. We eagerly await your reply.

Sincerely,

[Your name, city, country]

☎️ Call the Roanoke Mayor’s Office.
Phone: 540-853-2444
Fax: 540-853-1145

☎️ Suggested phone message

I’m calling to speak with someone in the Mayor’s Office regarding an important issue related to your Sister City, Wonju, in South Korea.

I want to bring to your attention that dog meat consumption continues in Wonju despite it being illegal under South Korean law. Unfortunately, these laws are not enforced. The dog and cat meat trades involve severe and widespread animal cruelty, causing the animals unimaginable pain and distress. As these animals cannot advocate for themselves, I am reaching out on their behalf. I believe your city would want to be informed of this situation, as you would likely not wish to be associated with a city where illegal and inhumane practices are ongoing, especially involving loyal and trusting animals that look to us as their protectors.

Despite growing opposition from animal advocates in South Korea and around the world, these illegal trades persist, supported by insufficient action from local authorities.

I kindly request that you discuss this matter with your counterparts in Wonju, urging them to enforce their laws, show compassion towards their animals, and demonstrate respect for their citizens by ending these trades.

South Korea has many beautiful and admirable traditions worth preserving, but this is not one of them.

Thank you for your time and understanding.

Post on X.

Suggested X text

.@hopewonju .@happygangwon .@City_of_Roanoke #Roanoke Tell Sister City #Wonju #SouthKorea that you oppose torture and consumption of #dogs #cats #dogmeat #catmeat https://chng.it/9XcyT47Xrv✊https://koreandogs.org/Wonju-Roanoke

Video: South Korea’s horrific dog meat industry. KBS DIGITALNEWS LAB.

Video: In the dog meat farm, the Dog Meat Consumption Prohibition Law has no meaning for the tens of thousands remaining and puppies yet to be born. CARE.