For more information, contact: Denise Potter/Kyenan Kum Tel: 0208 332 7499 Email: IAKAUK@koreananimals.fsnet.co.uk

Animal Activists to Protest Korean President Kim Dae Jung’s UK Visit

LONDON, Dec. 2001 - International Aid for Korean Animals (IAKA), together with animal activists from across the United Kingdom, will protest South Korean President Kim Dae Jung’s visit to London and Cambridge on Monday, December 3, 2001 at 10:30 a.m. outside the Korean Embassy, 60 Buckingham Gate, London.

President Kim will visit the United Kingdom from December 2 – 5 for trade discussions with Prime Minister Tony Blair, and to meet with Queen Elizabeth II. He is also scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate at Cambridge University, although his official itinerary has not yet been released to the public.

In South Korea, 2.6 million dogs and cats are tortured, slaughtered and consumed as “health foods” every year. The consumption of dog meat is currently illegal under South Korean law, as is cruelty to animals, yet these laws have never been enforced.

President Kim has the power to ensure that South Korea’s laws are enforced, and/or to enact new legislation that will clearly ban the slaughter of dogs and cats for consumption, but he has consistently ignored the issue, and the suffering and crimes against animals continue. The goal of the demonstration is to make President Kim aware that the international community does not support illegal animal abuses or the consumption of companion animals.

****

International Aid for Korean Animals (IAKA) and the Korea Animal Protection Society (KAPS) are animal aid organisations, organised by Koreans, dedicated to ending the illegal torture, slaughter, and consumption of millions of cats and dogs each year in Korea.

UK MEDIA CONTACT: Denise Potter IAKA UK Flat 13, Christchurch Kew Road, Richmond TW9 2PN, UK Tel: 0208 332 7499 Email: iakauk@koreananimals.fsnet.co.uk

US MEDIA CONTACT: Kyenan Kum Founder, IAKA P.O. Box 20600 Oakland, CA 94620-0600, USA Tel: 510-271-6795 Email: kaps@koreananimals.org

UK DEMONSTRATION CONTACT: Steve and Deb Wilkinson Midlands Representatives, IAKA UK 7 Pool Street Newcastle, Stoke On Trent Staffordshire ST5 2NA, UK Email: stevdeb.wilko@virgin.net

www.koreananimals,org