SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Monday, Sept. 27, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in stated that there is a need to prohibit dog meat consumption in the country. His statement is welcomed by the World Dog Alliance (WDA), an internationally recognized animal protection group that has campaigned for a dog meat ban in South Korea since 2014.
The eating of dog meat has long been a prevalent practice in South Korea, with millions of dogs served at dining tables every year, despite criticism from animal lovers.
Genlin, founder of the World Dog Alliance, started his legislative crusade in South Korea in 2014. To raise international awareness, Genlin filmed a documentary, "Eating Happiness," to reveal the barbaric nature of the consumption of dog meat. The documentary received critical acclaim from around the world.
Ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the World Dog Alliance launched an online petition on the United Kingdom's Parliament website, urging the South Korean government to outlaw dog meat. The United Kingdom Parliament held a debate on this internationally important topic and expressed its support. Thanks to the World Dog Alliance's advocacy, Lee Jae-myung, then Mayor of Seongnam city and current contender for the upcoming presidential election in South Korea, shut down the biggest dog meat market in South Korea, the Moran Market.
Genlin also held conferences on banning dog meat in the National Assembly of South Korea, garnering support from like-minded politicians including Pyo Chang-won, former Member of National Assembly. Together, Pyo Chang-won and the World Dog Alliance launched a petition on the website of the executive office and official residence of South Korea's head of state (the Blue House), calling for a nationwide ban on dog meat. The petition was signed by 200,000 South Korean citizens.
In July 2018, the World Dog Alliance hosted an event for the "First Dog" Tori, a black stray dog adopted by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. During the event, Jason Pang, Director of Development of the World Dog Alliance, presented a letter written from Genlin to President Moon's daughter, a letter that has helped spark President Moon's interest in banning dog meat.
To establish an international framework on banning dog and cat meat, the World Dog Alliance is campaigning for the International Agreement to Prohibit the Eating of Dogs and Cats, which is widely supported by politicians in many countries. To express cross-party support for the cause, 30 bipartisan United States Representatives signed a letter to President Donald Trump in February 2020; 67 British Members of Parliament signed a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in March 2020; 34 Members of the Japanese National Diet signed a letter to Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide in December 2020; and four Norwegian lawmakers signed a letter to Prime Minister Erna Solberg in June 2021. If the ban on dog meat in South Korea is passed successfully, it will have a profound impact on countries where the practice still exists, including China and Vietnam. Once in place, the legislation will speed up the progress of the International Agreement to Prohibit the Eating of Dogs and Cats advocated by the World Dog Alliance globally.
Him Lo
Email: info@wdalliance.org
Related Images
Image 1: President Moon Jae-in and a giant oil painting created by Genlin
President Moon Jae-in and a giant oil painting created by Genlin
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