Friday 15 International Friday, June 22, 2018 Killing dogs for meat ‘illegal’, a court in South Korea rules Animal rights activists hail landmark decision

SEOUL: A South Korean court has ruled the killing first court decision that killing dogs for dog meat is of dogs for meat is illegal, in a landmark decision that illegal itself.” The precedent “paved the way for out- animal rights activists said yesterday could pave the lawing dog meat consumption entirely”, she added. way to outlawing eating canines. The meat has long Care leader Park So-youn said her group was track- been a part of South Korean cuisine, with about one ing down dog farms and slaughter houses across the million dogs believed to be eaten annually. But con- country with a view to filing similar complaints sumption has declined as South Koreans increasingly against them to judicial authorities. “Over the past embrace the idea of dogs as man’s best friend rather decades, public discourse over dog meat consump- than livestock, with the practice now something of a tion has shifted towards banning it,” she said. “The taboo among younger generations and pressure from dog meat industry will take greater heat because of activists mounting. the court ruling.” Even so it remains a legal grey area. Despite no specific ban, authorities Barking mad have invoked hygiene reg- A lawmaker from the ulations or animal protec- ruling Democratic Party in- tion laws that ban cruel troduced a bill in parliament slaughter methods to crack About one million this week that would effec- down on dog farms and dogs believed to tively ban killing dogs for restaurants ahead of inter- meat. The measure would national events such as the be eaten annually limit the slaughter of ani- SEOUL: South Korean animal rights activists wear dog-shaped masks outside a court in Seoul as they rally in Pyeongchang Olympics. mals for food to species support of a court decision declaring killing dogs for meat is illegal. —AFP Animal rights group Care classed as livestock, which last year filed complaints does not include canines. bates have emerged in other Asian nations where ro, a representative from an association of dog against a dog farm operator in Bucheon, accusing him Some 30 activists rallied outside the National Assem- dogs are eaten. China’s most notorious dog meat fes- farms, said on YTN television. There are some of “killing animals without proper reasons” and vio- bly yesterday, urging it to pass the measure. But some tival in the southwestern town of Yulin has continued 17,000 dog farms across the country, Cho said, call- lating building and hygiene regulations, and prosecu- South Koreans object to what they describe as cul- to draw crowds despite international outrage. The ing for the government to explicitly legalize dog tors later charged him. He was convicted by the tural double standards. Dog is usually eaten in the Bucheon court decision sparked angry protests from meat consumption and license dog slaughter houses. Bucheon City court, which ruled that meat consump- country as a summertime delicacy, with the greasy dog farmers, whose premises usually double as “Otherwise, we’ll fight to the end,” he added. “Dogs tion was not a legal reason to kill dogs, and fined three red meat - invariably boiled for tenderness-believed slaughter houses as the government does not license for eating and dogs as pets must be separated,” he million won ($2,700). He waived his right to appeal. to increase energy. abattoirs to kill dogs. said, adding they were different breeds, fed differ- Care lawyer Kim Kyung-eun welcomed the rul- A survey last year found that 70 percent of South “This is outrageous. We can’t accept the ruling ently and raised for different purposes. “Cows, pigs, ing-made in April but with details only released this Koreans do not eat dogs, but only about 40 percent that killing of dogs for dog meat consumption chickens and ducks are all raised to be consumed week-telling AFP: “It is very significant in that it is the believe the practice should be banned. Similar de- amounts to killing animals on a whim,” Cho Hwan- and why not dogs?” he said. —AFP

Mescladis in his 30s after leaving consultancy A Barcelona and said he chose a restaurant because food unites people. “Working in a restaurant is all about action, not words, and so it’s easy to Suga noted, however, that North Korea has restaurant that bring people together,” he told the Thomson Japan halts missile said it would not conduct tests and Kim had prom- Reuters Foundation. “Also, everybody loves ised complete denuclearization. “The situation is tells refugee tales food.” Each year, about 80 students join the attack drills after different from last year when missile launches were culinary course - known as “Cooking Oppor- frequent and it is not a situation where missiles will BARCELONA: Tucked away in a mediaeval tunities” - during which time they intern in soon come flying,” he told a news conference, Spanish square, an unconventional restaurant is the restaurant and at other eateries in the Trump-Kim summit adding that the matter of the drills was under con- training refugees and telling their stories, hop- Catalan capital. sideration. Japan is eyeing a meeting between ing to change the lives of migrants and how TOKYO: Japan has decided to halt evacuation drills Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean people see them. Espai Mescladis is both a Not welcome to prepare for a potential North Korean missile at- leader Kim Jong Un, government sources said a restaurant and culinary school - and part pub- More than 1.8 million migrants have entered tack as tensions had eased following a historic sum- week ago, and Japanese media have reported that lishing house. It trains migrants from as far Europe since 2014. Greece and Italy receive the mit between the leaders of the United States and one possibility was for Abe to visit Pyongyang, afield as Venezuela, Senegal and Pakistan to most asylum claims, with Spain only receiving North Korea, Kyodo news agency reported yes- perhaps as early as August. cook and cater so they have a better shot at a small share of all claims. However there is terday. US President Donald Trump met North Ko- Promoted to commander of the US Indo-Pa- finding jobs and integrating in Catalan life. public support in Spain for admitting more mi- rean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore last week cific Command (INDOPACOM) last month, Admi- The interns also get help with asylum paper- grants, especially in the wealthy region of Cat- and Kim committed to “work toward complete de- ral Philip Davidson gave an assurance that the work, and customers get insight into what it is alonia. Just this month, the Spanish government nuclearization of the Korean peninsula”, while United States was committed its alliance with to be new, penniless and scared in a strange agreed to take in hundreds of refugees and mi- Trump said he would end what he called “provoca- Japan and to securing North Korea’s denucleariza- land. The social enterprise was founded in 2005 grants aboard the Aquarius rescue ship, which tive” US-South Korean military exercises. tion during his first official visit to Japan for two by Argentine entrepreneur Martin Habiague, had been rejected by Italy and Malta. Japan welcomed the summit as a first step to- days of talks with Defence Minister Itsunori On- whose interest was sparked by volunteering Barcelona’s City Council said this week that wards the denuclearization of North Korea, but odera. Japan, which hosts some 50,000 US mili- with a humanitarian organization in Belgium. the Catalan capital would accept 100 of the 629 also said the US-South Korean exercises were a tary personnel, including the biggest overseas “Immigration has always interested me. I’m a people on board. For incomers who seek asylum vital deterrent to North Korean threats. North concentration of US Marines and a US Navy car- migrant here and my family were immigrants to in Spain, applications can drag on for seven Korea last year launched two missiles that flew rier strike group, relies on the Washington for its Argentina from Europe, going back genera- years, during which many resort to casual labor over Japan. It also conducted its sixth nuclear defense and operates closely with its military. Japan’s capital of Tokyo held its first evacuation tions,” he said in an interview. or illegal activities like street selling to make test. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga re- drill in January and smaller Japanese towns and vil- With mistrust of migrants on the rise in ends meet. It is challenging for newcomers to peated that it was vital for North Korea to take lages have conducted similar exercises as North many Western societies, Habiague said it was fend for themselves without any work, Habiague concrete steps toward complete, verifiable and Korea pushed ahead with its missile and nuclear important to stress the positives of incomers said. “I was shocked at the treatment of migrants irreversible dismantlement of all its weapons of weapons programs. —Reuters who “bring richness to a culture”. He founded in Europe when I first arrived here.” —Reuters mass destruction and missiles.