World Cup football fans in Korea are to be served free samples of cooked dog to convince them of its nutritional value and help overcome any cultural prejudices they may have over eating the animal. The campaign is being launched by the National Dog Meat Restaurants Association, which is made up of about 150 restaurants that serve dog meat in Korea.
Fans will be given free samples of dog meat stew and soup in paper cups outside the 10 stadiums that will be hosting World Cup matches in Korea, along with leaflets explaining the nutritional and cultural aspects of dog meat. They will also be encouraged to try some of the country’s dog meat restaurants.
Koreans have been eating dog for hundreds of years and the meat is usually prepared in a soup called posintang. The dish is considered particularly beneficial to those suffering from any illness or those who want to improve their sexual prowess.
Concern is mounting in Korea that as thousands of people arrive for the World Cup, the country may generate negative publicity because of its long-standing tradition of eating dog. Earlier this year, Fifa, world football’s governing body, warned the Korean organising committee that it should try to minimise the negative impact that might be caused from eating dog.
Koreans claim that their tradition of eating dog is a cultural misunderstanding and that it is no worse than eating lamb or chicken.
In addition to the dog restaurants’ campaign, a group of students from Seoul University has set up a website to promote the virtues of dog meat. The website offers a number of articles explaining the health benefits of dog meat and its importance to local culture. The students have also started a petition and have so far secured 11 083 signatures to promote dog eating.
Animal rights protesters claim that it is not the practice of eating dog they are against but the way the animals are treated. According to some reports, the dogs are brutally beaten to stimulate their adrenaline before being killed, as this is supposed to improve the taste of the meat.