Summer is coming, and many Koreans are going to eat dog meat. They eat it for their health, or to increase their vigor. They believe that dog meat is better than any other food for their stamina.
        However, many other countries have condemned eating dog meat and consider Koreans barbarians for doing so. A video tape about butchering dogs was broadcast in France and other countries in early 1980 and 1982. Since then, the Animal Protection League, including Brigitte Bardot, a French movie actress, protested the practice. The Korean president at the time, Chun Doo-hwan, gave in to the pressure from foreign public opinion and prohibited the consumption of dog meat because he wanted to ensure the success of the 1988 Olympics in Korea. Our culinary customs were ignored because of foreign pressure, not our own judgment.
        Dog meat is still eaten in back alleys, and it is said that 76 percent of Koreas have eaten it at least once. For the 2002 World Cup, should we hide our consumption of dog meat, changing its name to "nutritional soup," as we did during the Olympics?
        In fact, the history of eating dog meat in Korea goes back to the Neolithic Era. Edible animals were just like cows, pigs, and hens to an agricultural people. Cows performed heavy labor for a farm family. For this reason, people were not permitted to kill cows for food. It was also hard to breed pigs, because of the lack of feed. For these reasons, people at dog meat, which they could obtain easily and which contained animal proteins. Moreover, in the summer, farmers had to work hard in sunny fields. To relieve their fatigue, they ate dog meat. For this reason, dog meat became familiar to Koreans. Dog meat has been one of our traditional foods for centuries.
        However, we must first consider whether dog meat is the best food for our health. In many Oriental medicine books, it is said to have effects. For example, the blood of dogs (especially black dogs) is believed to aid difficult childbirths. Also, dog meat is good for people who have been sick for a long time, because it renews their blood and energy. But it is not good for all people, because there are differences in physical constitutions. If one has a high body temperature, for instance, it could be harmful rather than helpful. Finally, according to scientists, the belief that dog meat is good for one's stamina or vigor is groundless.
        Views about the effects of eating dog meat are different depending on whether one talks to food experts or a medical expert. A nutritionist states that "in comparison with other meats, dog meat does not have any peculiar nutritional qualities. Instead, other materials in dog meat soup, for example, the garlic, sesame, and wormwood, are helpful." Doctors and nutritionist do agree that eating too much of any food is not good.
        Dog meat is a traditional Korean food. Every country has special favorite delicacies. For instance, the French think horse meat and snails are special foods, the Chinese eat monkey brains, the Japanese eat whale meat, and some people even eat ants. We don't eat horse meat, snails, monkey brains, whale meat, or ants, but we don't condemn those who eat them. Each country has its own food customs, and we have to understand them. If we feel they are strange or disgusting, we must learn to understand, not condemn. It is inconsistent for anyone to advocate "globalization" or proclaim "we are the world" without understanding food customs. On this basis, many other countries should understand our culinary customs.
        On the other hand, Koreans make excess use of many kinds of so-called stamina foods. They travel to foreign countries in order to eat many of these foods: deer blood, bear gall bladders, snakes, and so on. If we are going to continue doing so, how can we be proud of our customs? Excessive consumption of stamina foods or medicines is a national disgrace. We have to become conscious of the fact that real invigoration comes from suitable exercise and healthy eating habits.
        I don't eat dog meat. Nevertheless, I do not oppose consumption of dog meat. People who want to eat dog meat have a right to do so, and other people shouldn't be forced to. This is natural. Meanwhile, it is critical that healthy food customs be developed as soon as possible.