Yoon Seok-yeol "Don't people raise dogs separately for eating?"... Hwang Kyo-ik "It's like racial discrimination against humans"

Yoo Seung-min "They're all cute puppies, but it's unpleasant to hear"

Taste columnist Hwang Kyo-ik. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Hwang Kyo-ik, a food columnist, criticized former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, a presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, who sparked controversy by implying, "Aren't dogs for consumption raised separately?" saying, "Yoon Seok-yeol's classification is anti-civilizational."

On the 31st of last month, Hwang said on his Facebook, "There is no separate category of dogs for consumption. They are just dogs, but they are raised for consumption," expressing his view.

Earlier, former Prosecutor General Yoon engaged in a debate on the dog meat issue with his intra-party competitor, former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min. When Yoo asked about the dog meat issue, Yoon replied, "Personally, I am against (dog meat), but regarding it as a national policy, there should be a social consensus among many people."

Yoo also pointed out, "There are about 15 million pet owners who raise and love companion animals, so the dog meat issue is very sensitive," adding, "It is directly related to animal abuse."

In response, Yoon retorted, "It's not about abusing companion animals; aren't dogs for consumption raised separately?" Yoo then countered, "Aren't the dogs raised separately for consumption the same dogs?"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party's presidential primary candidate, is speaking at the People's Camp Gyeonggi Province Election Committee and Party Association Chairpersons meeting held at the People Power Party Gyeonggi Province Office in Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province on the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Referring to Yoon's remarks, Hwang said, "This is exactly the same claim as that of the dog meat industry workers. They insist on distinguishing between companion dogs and dogs for consumption." He continued, "(Yoon's classification) is similar to racial discrimination among humans. All dogs in the world are the same dogs."

Meanwhile, on the 1st, former lawmaker Yoo criticized Yoon's remarks on YTN Radio's 'Hwang Bo-seon's Start New Morning,' saying, "I thought it was a bit strange to say that there are dogs that can be used for consumption separately, and the puppies we raise at home are not (for consumption)."

He directly stated, "They are all cute and the same puppies, but to say that dogs for consumption can be slaughtered and eaten was very uncomfortable to hear."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.