Just when you thought there was nothing more to say about the dog meat debate, the Association of Dog Meat Restaurant Owners puts forth a proposal to incite even the most apathetic and reticent passerby to rise up in arms - and in shame.

According to an article that appeared in Maeil Economic Newspaper April 27, the association plans to promote dog meat during the World Cup finals May 31-June 30 by setting up tasting booths at various soccer stadiums in Korea. It is even considering introducing "dog meat sandwiches or burgers" designed to appeal to the palette of non-Koreans. If that particular vision alone is not enough to make one shudder, consider this - Jay Leno gets a hold of this incredibly juicy bit of information and incorporates it into his notorious monologues.

Last I heard, the MCIC Group - the Philadelphia-based law firm that has threatened to file a class action suit against Leno for remarks made during this past Winter Olympics - already had its work cut out. Leno's statement that "the Korean skater, after being disqualified from the gold medal, was so mad that he went home and kicked his dog, and then ate it," does not exactly constitute hard evidence.

This shortsighted idea by the dog meat association was inspired by a "successful" dog meat tasting exhibition it hosted for students of the French International School just a few weeks ago. The response of the students was very positive, said an association member, encouraging the association to expand its efforts to a grander scale - the World Cup finals.

This is a controversy of global proportions just waiting to erupt as a result of this suicidal mission of the dog meat association. Endless letters - this one not withstanding - are waiting to bombard every English publication in Korea. Korea is preparing to hand over more ammunition to Brigitte Bardot and her animal rights activists to violently protest and perhaps demolish these hapless booths. Every global-minded citizen in Korea should not dread, but fear this amazing plan by the dog meat association and the government's even more amazing silence.

Call it what you will - culture, tradition or culinary taste. The fact is that the dog eating "culture" in Korea repulses those very people from whom Korea is constantly demanding respect and egalitarian treatment.

The Association of Dog Meat Restaurant Owners certainly does have the right to set up dog meat tasting booths - to the extent that they are authorized by a city permit. It is my hope that every World Cup city in Korea denies such a permit since it basically guarantees gross embarrassment for a nation and an uncomfortably hot spotlight on a tradition that already enjoys too much global awareness. A single food item could never constitute an entire nation's culture, but tell that to the Jays and Brigittes out there who probably cannot recall a single fact about Korea except that its people eat dogs.

Korea must accept that cultural expression inherently opens the door to criticism and ridicule. In this respect, the class-action lawsuit against Jay Leno amounts to little more than a whiny, mountain-out-of-a-molehill expression of an inferiority complex. Every nation has its fair share of realities it is not so proud of.

But few evoke as much blind - often bordering on the stupid - emotional hysteria and nationalistic defensiveness as Korea's acceptance of dogs as both pet and prey. The Korean government fully acknowledged the enormous impact of dog meat on Korea's public image when it "banned" restaurants, even if only in lip service, from serving dog meat. By allowing the dog meat tasting booths, the Korean government would be reneging on a policy announcement to shelve a controversial tradition that has done nothing but excruciatingly malign Korea's otherwise proud heritage and reputation. Cultural expression need not be so blatant and damaging.

Damage control induced by the dog meat controversy will span decades. The situation is not unlike a forest fire burning out of control, in which the best Korea can do is try to ensure that no new fires are lit among the dry brush of a proud population. The tasting booths will only succeed in reversing Korea's hard-earned achievements in international recognition and status by effectively casting a limelight on the black sheep of the family - embraced by some, forgotten by few and rejected by many.