Most of the specialized restaurants in Pyeongchang will not forego the sale of dog meat meals during the Olympic Games. The owners of the restaurant oppose thereby a request of the city council, which after the world-wide protests of animal protectionists wanted to suspend the sale of dog meat for the duration of the games.
“Only two restaurants have responded to our request,”said Council member Lee Yong Bae of the AFP news agency:”Some have tried and switched to pig and goat, but have complained after that massive loss of revenue and are now selling dog meat again”.
This is considered a delicacy in South Korea as well as snake meat. Animal welfare activists deplore the cruel conditions on the often illegal dog farms, where the animals are bred especially for slaughter and consumption. Concealed film footage from the animal rights organisation PETA has recently documented that dogs are often beaten and tormented for days before they are slaughtered because this supposedly makes the meat softer.
The younger generation of Koreans, on the other hand, has long since discovered the dog as a pet. Dog catchers have often fallen victim to a lynching mob in the past.