Accurate and irrefutable historical dates and figures on dog eating in Korea are hard to come by. Historical records are scant. So, such a paltry legacy hardly supports the notion that dog eating is an integral part of Korean culture. It is hard to accept that a few references here and there constitute something fundamental to cultural tradition.

You get foreign, non-Korean journalists who, when writing about the dog-meat issue in Korea, will invariably lapse into convenient cliches by giving it names like "time-honored" or "age-old tradition." What would they know? But these easy cliches help perpetuate notions that not everyone agrees upon.

The traditionalists will come out with stupid, unscientific statements, like "The history that Koreans used dog meat as food was originated from such a long time ago long that it cannot be dated back [sic]." Like that poorly worded statement, assertions that dog meat is an integral part of Korean culture come from contemporary supporters, who come out with non sequiturs like, "'We have 5,000 years of history, and dog eating is part of our culture." Others will insist that it goes back 3000 years.

It is all very vague. Generally, scholars agree that the Chinese have eaten dogs for at least 7,000 years. A Korean tradition? Well, let's say it is a Chinese tradition that was copied by Koreans at some stage. Dog meat has been more popular in Korea's Choong-cheong Province than in other areas, and that is where trade with China was most active in the past.

Human and dog remains that date back 2000 years were found together in the Sacheon area of Gyung-sang Province. After analysis it was found that the dog had been buried after the human, suggesting perhaps that the dog's owner had died and then after the dog died it was buried with him (the dog skelton is on the left). This far from suggests that dogs were considered as nothing more than food, and it points to domestication and the perception that dogs were a valued part of the family, at least in this instance.

A mural was found in a 4th century tumulus at Go-gu-ryeo An-ak 3 (or one of the tombs at Koguryo) showing a dog slaughtered together with other animals.

Hanging from hooks, from left to right, appears to be a dog, a sheep or deer, and a wild pig.

It is interesting to note, however, that at the bottom of this mural there are dogs roaming free, as if they were separate from livestock.

One source alleges that references to dog meat appear in a Myung era pharmaceutical text, although these were likely copied from Chinese sources. The same source also says that a Chosun period medical encyclopedia refers to dog meat, and some records of eating dog meat are in the book of manners from the same era.

Many old proverbs refer to dogs and some characterize them as worthless, naughty, and ungrateful animals. This is a rather peculiar observation, unless it were made by someone who had never been in contact with a dog other than those treated brutally, raised in misery, and fed on human feces.

To sum up the traditionalist view, then, dogs in Korea were never bred for companionship or work purposes, such as herding sheep. They were often just consumed as food. Dogs were treated more or less as livestock just like pigs and were fed human feces like pigs were.They were not valued very highly and were regarded solely as a food source.

However, a few historical artifacts and references do not stand as proof of a dog eating tradition deeply embedded in Korean culture. As mentioned, dog slaughter appears in murals, but that is about it in terms of art. By contrast, the images of paintings included here from the Chosun period are not of "eating" dogs but are of pet dogs.

The view of dog eating as an important age-old Korean tradition, while upheld by some Koreans is rejected by others, who will insist that it has never been a proper part of their culture. They will say that it became widely practiced only in the twentieth century. Moreover, two main versions of this line of thought exist.

One version is that during the period of Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945) there was widespread famine, and this gave rise to dog-eating. The Japanese exported most of Korea's farming produce back to Japan, leaving Koreans with very little to survive on. The Japanese also slaughtered dogs for their pelts but discarded the meat because they did not eat dog meat. It had been prohibited in Japan, starting way back in AD 675. Since Koreans were starving and dog meat was available, they ate it.

The other version is that dog eating was only practiced widely in Korea at a time of food shortages during World War II. A variation of this places the rise of dog meat eating only around 60 years ago, during and after the Korea War (1950-1953), when many Koreans were faced with starvation.

People had plenty to eat when the country began to prosper, especially after the rapid economic development of the 1970s. However, the health benefits of dog meat were embellished or invented and myths and superstitions were spread to keep the industry going and to make more money.

II. THE MYTHS AND THE IGNORANCE

Curiously, all of the myths that exist in China surrounding dog meat consumption are also heard in Korea. Dog supposedly increases stamina, it helps you to sweat less in summer, it warms your blood in winter, it aids in healing, and most importantly for certain kinds of Asian men, it makes you more virile. Even if it were not a myth, is torture and murder and the loss of human decency really worth it?

To make dog meat more tasty and to increase it's stamina-giving properties, many dogs are tortured, perhaps hung for a while, beaten, burned with a blow torch, boiled alive, or slowly bled out--it all helps to increase their sheer terror the dog feels and thus boosts the adrenaline in its flesh.

Reportedly, some dog meat traders inject the meat with steroids to add that extra kick. How ironic, since over time, that will do quite the opposite to making men virile. It is also ironic that the injecting of steroids into dog meat is not a time-honored Korean tradition.

But the myths of tradition and medicinal benefits have infiltrated Korean society. Even some doctors recommend that patients who have operations should eat dog meat for quicker recuperation. It is universally regarded as a kind of health food and marketed as such.

Another part of the problem is that tradition, even one as perverted as dog-meat eating, is linked with nationalist sentiment. Dog meat eating is even perceived by some as a defiant act against western bullying and a kind of nationalistic practice, which is all ridiculous. The irony is that if people preaching this strange philosophy really cared about their beloved country, they might think about the shame the dog-meat industry brings to it.

It was once believed, especially in the Chosun period, that those who saw a scratching dog would have good luck. Presumably for some, it wouldn't make sense to kill a good luck charm, let alone one that is also man's best friend.

III. TRADITION JUSTIFIES NOTHING

Enlightened individuals know one indomitable truth that dispels all of the alleged history, the claims of culture, and the superstitions: tradition justifies nothing. The citing of tradition, even if a valid one existed, is no excuse and justification for the brutal dog meat industry. How can you call the deprivation, torture and murder of dogs part of a "food culture?"

It was once a tradition in some cultures to make human sacrifices, in other cultures it was once a tradition to partake in cannibalism. No one in their right mind today would accept the argument of tradition for such practices as these, but rather would see them as acts of criminal insanity.

Why should anyone in this day and age want to follow traditions that were created or passed on by uneducated peasants years ago? Just because something is old doesn't make it right, especially when it is based on past misconceptions, ignorance and causes suffering. This should obvious to anyone with intelligence from any country and culture.

The argument of tradition for the dog-meat industry is a delusion. Dog meat supporters continually miss the point, too busy labelling Western critics as hypocrites and racists. It is not tradition that matters in the debate, it is morality and common decency. These are the only guiding principles with any credibility. The cruelty, brutality and horrendous conditions other sentient beings have to put up with. These issues are way above any tradition.

IV. THE WORLD INTERVENES

In 1988, the Olympic Games were held in Seoul, and the dog meat issue receive unprecedented international publicity and scorn. Even though the Korean government banned the sale and consumption of dog meat (just as China did during the 2008 Olympics), controversy raged. This got the Korean government scrambling to show that Korea was up to international standards. The result was Korea's first animal welfare and protection laws under the Animal Welfare Law of 1991.

However, laws were no more than a face-saving exercise, and there was certainly nothing in them to have any impact on the dog meat industry. So, the global community has continued to put pressure on Korea to truly lift its Animal Welfare Law to international standards. Over the years there have been revisions, but the Law remains weak and extremely limited.

The stumbling block to any real change is the insistence of supporters of the dog meat eating that Westerners were prejudiced and ignorant of the dog meat culture of Koreans and other Asians. Famous Koreans, politicians, and citizens have resisted opposition and held back any substantial and meaningful changes to the Animal Welfare Law.

The dog meat issue eventually died down, as the world's attentions turned elsewhere, although in Korea it was still occasionally in the news:

• 1995 – Dog meat smugglers caught by the Sokcho Customs Office and arrests were made for the illegal smuggling of live dogs.
  
• 1996 – Prosecuted dog slaughterer given a verdict of not guilty by a judge.
• 1999 – Kim Hong Shin submitted documents to the National Assembly to revoke licensing of a proposed dog slaughter house by northern Jeju Island. Kim Hong Shin, along with Kim Hong Shin, Song Suk Chan, Kim Choon Jin, continued the fight to amend and revise the public Dog meat law.
  
• 2000 – Thailand’s New Law abolishes dog meat
  
• 2001 – Taiwan’s New Law abolishes dog meat
• 2001 – Permission granted for exclusive rights to build large scale dog farm in northern Jeju Island.
• 2002 – Germany passes law to protect animal rights.

Then, in 2002, the World Cup came to Korea, and once again a furor erupted over Korea's dog eating industry. Ahead of the competition, the FIFA President, Joseph Blatter called upon FIFA Vice President, Dr. Chung Mong-Joon of Korea to take "immediate and decisive measures to put an immediate end to this cruelty."

In an open letter to Chung, Blatter said the dog trade damaged Korea's international image and that the World Cup was an "appropriate moment for Korea to show the world that it is sensitive to vociferous worldwide public opinion and that it rejects cruelty."

In addition, a coalition of Asian animal welfare and conservation groups from 12 Asian countries asked the South Korean Government to make a clear commitment during the FIFA World Cup to enforce and improve animal protection and to permanently put an end to the dog meat eating industry.

A joint investigation was set up by Korean government officials to try to create a better system to prevent animal abuse. However, as mentioned previously, a number of government officials and politicians support dog eating. One could predict that little would come of it--and little did.

V. NO CHANGE IN KOREA

For all the efforts of the international community, little has changed in Korea over the years. In fact, international protests might have been counter productive. Inner city dog meat restaurants might have closed down for the 1988 Olympic Games or the 2002 World Cup but often they just popped up elsewhere.

City restrictions simply push the dog meat businesses out into the suburbs and these days it continues to happen at an alarming rate. The government does not do very much to control it.

In 2005, the government began preparations to strengthen the sanitary conditions of the dog meat slaughterhouses and to upgrade the Dog and Animal Protection Act. In response to this, animal welfare organizations in Korea and throughout the world signed petitions that condemned and strongly opposed the legalization of the dog meat industry in Korea.

A revision of the Animal Welfare Law was decided upon in 2006, with no substantial improvements to report.

In 2008, the government continued its push to implement hygiene laws and it announced plans for dog meat sanitary control and management. What the government ultimately wants to do in effect is to legalize the dog meat industry. This is bad news for the dogs and for those of us who seek an end to the industry.

VI. THE BOTTOM LINE

The dirty secret is that, in the end, it really all comes down to money. We want to set the record straight here, regarding the subject tradition, on which there are so few actual records and of which there is so little proof: most Koreans do not want to see the consumption of dogs as a part of Korean culture. Most Koreans would rather that Korea got rid of the whole industry. It is no tradition they want to be associated with.

Nor would anyone in their right mind want to be associated with the disgrace and shame of Korea's dog meat industry.