I was quite busy, so I couldn't really update my blog... Well, I learned the skilled called procrastination. I can't focus at all... Anyways, school just started for me. I finished my first week, but still I became incredibly busy this weekend. Work WORK WORK!. I also got a research position! (show off show off show off!) I don't get paid but I might be able to next semester.
So, back to the topic of why Koreans eat dogs... Before we start, have a deep breath and calm yourself.
Koreans started eating dogs back in the days, when we didn't have animal rights, electricity, cars and hamburgers in Korea. Korea was somewhat like Ireland. Personally I don't know much about Ireland, but the fact that they were invaded a lot so that they could only eat potatoes which grew underground. Korea when through somewhat of the same situation. Koreans were extremely poor. Korea is a small country stuck among China, Japan and Russia. Not so much of the Russians, but China and Japan kind of tried to invade us a lot of times and not to mention civil wars too. Its not that food are taken away from families to the military, but also invaders steal from the locals as well. So, for centuries Korea had a hard time feeding themselves. Since food was hard to find, they found dog meat to eat. It had a lot of nutrients and dogs were not hard to breed or find.
That is like the briefest summary of where dog eating customs origins. Now lets look at the current issue. At an international level dog eating is just disgusted by a lot of cultures, especially a lot of western countries have a hard time understanding. But, its quite unfair for Koreans, since they have been eating dog for ages like how everyone eats cows, chickens and pigs. Farm animals, breed to eat, are defined differently in Korea, they include dogs. The main problem is how life is valued differently, because dogs are cuter and smarter. Cows, pigs and chickens aren't as cared for. Have a deep thought about it. If life of different animals are worth differently.
Anyways lets say you somewhat understand that dogs, cows and pigs have the same life-value. Now, lets get to the real problem of dog eating. Its the inhumane condition of the lives of dogs that are caged and cared for. They are abused by their owner. So, finally we have reached the MAIN PROBLEM.
However, its not just the Koreans fault that this was resulted. Why do you think the Korean government doesn't keep watch over this dog trade??? Think carefully. They don't want to admit the legal dog trade in Korea. However, they didn't make it illegal as well. And why do you think they don't want to admit the dog trade??? Its because international voices that are against dog eating in Korea. The Korean government is just too scared to admit. If there were regulation and a more legal dog meat trade, most likely the dogs would get a better living condition.
So a better way to approach this situation is to approach this situation is to legalize the dog meat market and eventually reduce it through the government, rather than try to ban the dog eating because it doesn't make sense for Koreans. Say you eat pigs and some country says eating pigs is just unimaginable, are you going to stop eating pigs?...
And dog eating isn't something common. We don't have dog for dinner or anything like that, nor we find dog meat in the super market. I haven't eaten dog meat before, but I might try just to see what it is like. My dad does eat dog meat, if he has the chance, but I think he ate it twice after I was born. He probably understands why Koreans eat dog eat more since he came from a really poor family.
Oh, and Koreans do love their dogs. We have a lot of people who dedicate themselves for the animal rights of dogs! We even have cafes for dogs.
