FW: (KR) Korean Government Officials Implicated in Bear Meat Scandal

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IAKA US

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Wednesday, May 23, 2007 9:13 PM

[iAKA] Korean Government Officials Implicated in Bear Meat

Scandal

 

Recent news has emerged from Korea, implicating the involvement of

several Jincheon County council members in an illegal bear meat restaurant.

The story has sparked public outrage in Korea as it highlights the horrible

treatment of farmed moon bears and the hypocrisy of the government officials

who regard the bears not as a protected species, but as a culinary delicacy.

 

The story broke on May 11 with a televised investigative report

which aired on KBS Broadcast Networks in Korea. The report shows Jincheon

County Council Chief Yoo, Young Hun and roughly 20 other council members

dining at Yeonkok Garden restaurant, feasting upon an elaborate full-course

meal of bear shabu shabu. According to the news report, Council Chief Yoo

Young Hun paid 1100000 Won (US $1200) for his meal, using a

government-sponsored corporate credit card. In addition, the restaurant menu

features an array of bear meat products, ranging from bear feet, bear bile,

and even bear wine.

 

The restaurant is owned by Kim Dong Ku, also a council member, who

along with his wife, operates an adjacent bear farm where the bear meat is

obtained on demand. Though the husband and wife have claimed to keep moon

bears as pets, news reports reveal that they in fact operate a farm where as

many as 20 bears are crammed to a single cage, unable to . When a bear dish

is ordered, a bear is brutally clubbed to death and slaughtered on the spot.

Restaurant patrons are also given the option of a " take out " menu, in which

they can purchase bear cubs directly from the farm.

 

Though bear farms regretfully remain legal in Korea, slaughtering

the bears for their meat violates several laws. Following the news report,

police are investigating potential violations of the Wild Animal Protection

Law as well as the Food Hygiene Standard and disposal of waste regulations.

Kim Dong Ku and his wife as well as 3 of the bear farm workers are currently

under investigation for their crimes. However, Council Chief Yoo Young Hun

and his fellow council members will apparently walk away without punishment,

as the Ministry of Environment lacks adequate laws to bring charges for

their actions. Yoo Young Hun has since publicly apologized for his actions,

but claims he did not know that the bears were illegally killed. This is

hard to believe, as villagers in the area have witnessed the council members

dining at the restaurant very regularly and it is likely that hundreds of

bears have been brutally killed and consumed by the council members

 

In light of these recent events, IAKA urges supports to demand

justice for moon bears in Korea. Now more than ever, we need you to call

upon Korea's Ministry of Environment to ban bear farming and to strengthen

laws against bear meat restaurants.

 

What You Can Do To Help

Download the protest card to send to the Ministry of Environment, or

write a personal letter to call for an immediate end to bear farming and to

impose stricter penalties against bear farms and restaurants:

 

Minister Lee Chi-beom

Ministry of Environment

Government Complex-Gwacheon 1, Joongang-dong, Gwacheon-si,

Gyeonggi-do, 427-729 Korea

 

or contact the Ministry of Environment via the forum on their

website

 

Write a personal letter to the offending council members of Jincheon

County urging them to take responsibility for their actions and to shut down

the Yeonkok Garden restaurant:

 

Jincheon County Office

Ubnae-ri #463, Jincheon-eup, Jincheon-gun,

Chungcheongbuk-do 365-850, Korea

 

webmaster <webmaster%40jincheon.go.kr>

 

Sign the online petition against bear farming in Korea. Go to:

 

www.moonbears.org

 

International Aid for Korean Animals

PO Box 20600

Oakland, CA 94620

1-510-271-6795

http://www.koreananimals.org/