About 800 stray dogs and cats have been put to death so far this year, Seoul City officials said yesterday.

The officials said authorities picked up about 1,660 lost or stray dogs and cats. The city put almost half to death, after failing to locate their original owners or find them new homes.

"An increasing number of pet animals are being abandoned," an official said. "We first put these animals in the care of animal rights groups. But if they don't find new homes after a month, we administer euthanasia to old and sick animals," the official said.

(If they euthanise the old and sick after a month, what happens to the rest? - ITD)

The issue of dog meat consumption has always been a headache for South Korea whenever it hosts major international events. Ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the government had to ban the eating of dog meat following protests by foreign animal rights activists.

With the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals in Korea and Japan approaching, the government is again under mounting pressure from Western activists and FIFA, who are against the ongoing domestic serving of dog meat as food.

Against this backdrop, some newspapers in Japan recently delivered support to its neighbor in its dealings with this external pressure.

The Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese daily, said in its November 24 issue that Korea had gone through an insult in 1988 when it banned the domestic serving of dog meat ahead of the Seoul Olympics, giving in to ``external pressure'' from mostly Western critics who were against the practice. But the Japanese daily stated that ``recent Korean public sentiment is quite different from that of 1988.''

It quoted officials working for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan and restaurant owners in Seoul as saying that ``dog meat consumption in Korea should not concern FIFA nor people from different parts of the world.''

The newspaper noted that Korea, now an OECD member state and a democratic country, is handling the pressure well.

The Japanese newspaper also reported that Seoul Mayor Goh Kun is not considering any concrete measures on the issue, rebuffing outside pressure.

It further noted that Chung Mong-joon, FIFA vice president and co-chairman of the Korean Organizing Committee for the World Cup, recently said in response to a letter from FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter that ``dog meat consumption should not concern FIFA.¡¯¡¯

Similarly, the Hokkaido Shimbun, another Japanese daily, said in its November 26 issue that ``Seoul should be confident enough to preserve its traditional culinary culture.'' Criticizing Western critics' logic in arguments against eating dog meat, the newspaper noted that Koreans eat dogs raised exclusively for that use, not those meant to be pets, while the method of processing them has been significantly improved to a level that is not described as cruel.

The newspaper denounced Western criticism of the practice as ``an unwise act of criticizing others in terms of only its own measurement.'' On November 20, the Tokyo Shimbun noted that dog meat is also consumed in China and the Philippines, and was even eaten in Japan in the Edo period as health food. The paper concluded that it was pointless that dog meat consumption in Korea should be the target of Western criticism.

("The method of processing them has been significantly improved to a level that is not described as cruel" - Described by who? We would be interested to know how any method of slaughter designed to inflict suffering to improve the meat can be described as anything else! - ITD)

I go to dog meat restaurants a few times every summer to enjoy the thick soup and greasy meat. This doesn't make me a great fan of dog cuisine, but I consider myself to be a discerning dog eater, especially skilled in making the sauce for the meat with a variety of ingredients, including sesame (µé±ú), garlic, ginger, red pepper paste, sesame oil, vinegar and mustard.

When I read, a few weeks ago, a press release from FIFA on the correspondence between FIFA President Joseph Blatter and Korea World Cup Organizing Committee Co-chairman Chung Mong-joon concerning "cruelty" from human consumption of dog in Korea, I felt a mild sense of guilt. It was because, as a public servant, I should be the last one to contribute to any trouble that would hamper the success of the 2002 World Cup.

The FIFA press release, dated November 6, said Dr. Chung has assured Mr. Blatter of his personal commitment to enforcement of existing laws that forbid mistreatment of animals. He said an inter-Ministry investigation has now been put into motion in Korea involving the Ministries of Agriculture and Forestry, Health and Welfare, and others. In an open letter to Dr. Chung, Mr. Blatter referred to "the thousands of letters" that FIFA has received from the general public to protest the manner in which dogs and cats are mistreated in Korea, apparently in open violation of existing laws. ``Dogs, in particular, are tortured while being prepared for human consumption," FIFA said.

The FIFA President called upon Dr. Chung to take "immediate and decisive measures to put an immediate end to this cruelty." He pointed out that not only the animals but also Korea's international image were being harmed, and he said the World Cup would serve "as an appropriate moment for Korea to show the world that it is sensitive to vociferous worldwide public opinion and that it rejects cruelty.''

Many Koreans, whether they eat dogs or not, reacted to the FIFA intervention by pointing out the dietary peculiarities in other countries and customs of animal cruelty among other peoples. Yet, it is also necessary for us to make continuous efforts to explain the reality in Korea, which is not identical to the picture drawn by animal rights activists, and help remove the misconceptions of outsiders.

As the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan draws near, animal protection advocates are escalating their campaign, apparently in a move to use the upcoming event as an occasion to raise worldwide awareness of dog eating in Korea. The foreign media has also shown interest in this perennial issue as correspondents come to Korea to cover preparations for the World Cup.

Some reporters make very vivid on-the-spot reportage, visiting places like Moran Market south of Seoul, where dog meat is sold for restaurant operators or individual consumers. With information supplied by animal protection advocates, some describe a canine hell in Korea, but there are also stories arguing that cultural imperialism is involved in the criticism of dog eating. There are stories, on the other hand, portraying Korea as a newly emerging pet-loving country to counter its image as a dog-eating nation.

Mme. Brigitte Bardot is increasingly vocal these days, picking the co-host of the 2002 World Cup as her new target. She is reported to be calling for a general boycott of the games in Korea because of the unchanging custom in this country, which faced equally harsh criticism from dog lovers around the world when the Seoul Olympics were held 13 years ago. In a telephone interview with MBC-TV, she particularly objected to cruel methods used for killing dogs. When the interviewer asked her about how Westerners eat goose liver, she said the goose is not a pet, but a dog is.

While we have no doubt about the sincerity of the activists in pursuing their cause, we are obliged to clarify a few points. First, Koreans love dogs as much as most other peoples of the world and, second, dogs are not killed in the cruel manner the protesters claim.

Killing a living thing is merciless, whether it is a cow, a lamb or a dog. Electrocution is supposed to be more merciful, and Korean butchers use this method not only because it is a more civilized way, but also because it saves labor, in addition to the fact that the law bans cruel methods of slaughter. It is widely suspected that pictures showing the strangling or beating to death of dogs were taken a long time ago.

Cruelty to animals is a crime in Korea. Article 6 of the Animal Protection Law specifically prohibits killing animals in a cruel and abhorrent manner as well as inflicting unwarranted pain on them. Under this and other related statutes, law enforcement authorities deal strictly with violators.

As there have been mounting local calls for government efforts to discourage the consumption of uncommon food items, including dog meat, the Food Sanitation Law and the Livestock Products Sanitation Law have been amended. Dog has been excluded from the category of food items. Unfortunately, this creates a loophole for bad people to avoid interference by the law in their business. Concerned officials recognize the need for further legislation to remove this loophole and ensure transparency.

The dietary pattern in Korea is changing as more and more people enjoy Western food, and therefore one can reasonably expect that interest in the consumption of dog meat, already marginal, will diminish further. The rapid rise in the number of people raising pets in Korea will certainly have a considerable impact on the custom of eating dogs in this country.

Two million is a very conservative estimate of the pet dog population in this country, where over 2,000 pet hospitals are presently operating. Dog food imports are growing by about 30 percent annually, and talented designers compete to produce fancy dog apparel and dog beds. In dog ``cafes'' in Seoul, dogs are served various delicacies while their owners drink coffee or tea.

It may be unfair for Korean dogs that mostly imported species are enjoying such luxuries these days. Korean dogs have historically kept in the yard and were rarely allowed into the house, as they were raised to guard the premises. Jindo dogs, originating from Jindo off the South Coast, and Pungsan dogs from North Korea are known for their ferocity and devotion to their owners.

Traditionally, dogs also served as a source of protein along with other domesticated animals in this mountainous country, where food was not in abundant supply in the old days. Even after the dietary situation improved, the popularity of dog as a food item remained, helped by folk beliefs about the efficacy of the meat, such as for fighting the heat of summer and even in maintaining sexual prowess.

Occasional TV reports exposing hygienic problems in processing dog meat and its relative expensiveness do not seem to affect its devoted consumers. Some analysts say public arguments about the desirability of dog eating rather increase curiosity and help strengthen the enthusiasm of aficionados.

While Koreans can understand concerns among animal rights campaigners about the way dogs are killed and processed for eating, they find it inappropriate for some foreigners to criticize the unique dietary habits of different cultures. Members of different cultural, religious or ethnic groups should refrain from telling other people what to eat or what not to eat, as diversity is one of the highest values in human society.

Anne Schneppen, the Tokyo correspondent for the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, in a recent article, questioned why the FIFA leader was so strongly against dog eating but was not raising the issue of whale hunting in Japan, another World Cup co-host. She also wondered if the International Olympic Committee would have the nerve to tell the 1.3 billion Chinese to change their menu in 2008 prior to the Beijing Olympiad.

The German journalist recalled no similar controversy four years ago about eating horsemeat, snails and frogs' legs at the time of the World Cup finals in France. "Criticism by animal rights advocates of the cruel conditions which exist on dog farms is justified, but how does FIFA President Blatter intend to make legitimate use of his position, in sporting and political terms, to bring about a temporary change to the menus in thousands of Korean restaurants?" she asks quite appropriately.

Should the Korean authorities issue a ban on dog meat consumption during the World Cup finals period, just as it did during the 1988 Summer Olympics, in consideration of the soccer fans from Western countries? The people of the host country may well refrain from going to dog meat restaurants during the month-long period to show their world-famous hospitality, but it is all up to individual decisions.

It is everyone's guess whether the 2002 World Cup, with all the anticipated pressure from animal rights crusaders, will have any effect on the dog-eating custom in Korea or on the number of patrons at dog meat restaurants. The experience of the '88 Olympics leads us to a negative prediction, but I think the campaign will be more effective if it is not based upon Western cultural chauvinism.

The writer is director of the Korean Information Service.

(It's difficult to know where to begin with this one, the arguments used are so full of holes. All of these arguments are clearly refuted on our website, and so rather than repeat myself once again, I will limit myself to one comment. The author states "Two million is a very conservative estimate of the pet dog population in this country". Co-incidentally, the figure of two million is also the conservative estimate of the number of dogs tortured to death annually in South Korea. - ITD)