President Moon Also Mentioned 'Dog Meat Ban'... Chanted Weekly for 5 Years at Gwanghwamun

Animal Protection Groups Hold Press Conference on June 10 at Gwanghwamun, Seoul for 'International Animal Rights Day'
"Animals Are Not for Food, Experimentation, Fur, or Exhibition... Citizens' Indifference Is the Hardest"
Pig Mask Performance Symbolizing 'Animal Sacrifice' Presented
Call for Stronger Punishment for Animal Abuse... "Political Circles Must Also Reflect"

On the afternoon of the 10th at 1 PM, members of the Korea Animal Protection Alliance held a press conference at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Member Lee Hye-sook is reading the press statement. Photo by Park Hyun-joo phj0325@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] "Animals also have the right to live happily without suffering!"

On the afternoon of the 10th, after a brief drizzle passed, Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, was bustling with people coming and going. As 1 p.m. approached, some familiar faces unfolded placards near the square intersection. They were members of the Korea Animal Protection Association.

Lee Won-bok, president of the Korea Animal Protection Association, shouted, "Every year on December 10th is 'International Animal Rights Day.' It is also the United Nations' 'Human Rights Day.' This day proclaims to the world that animals, like humans, have the right to live happily without suffering."

He continued, "The important thing is not whether animals have reason like humans, but that animals feel pain just like humans do. Just as humans have the right not to be used as tools or means, animals also have the right not to be used as tools or means. Speciesism or violent thinking that justifies oppressing, exploiting, and killing animals simply because they are powerless and weak beings is no different from racism or sexism," he emphasized.

President Lee has been protesting here for over five years. Originally, animal protection groups gathered to hold marches and campaigns, but due to the impact of COVID-19, the scale of protests has been greatly reduced. He explained, "Because of COVID-19, since last year, we have only been conducting protests with one to three people." Protests are usually held once a week and up to three times as needed.

As a result, passersby who frequently walk through here are familiar with President Lee's figure. Park, a person in their 20s who has been working near Gwanghwamun since the end of last year, said, "Since my company is nearby, I sometimes see him when I come out for lunch. There are so many protests in Gwanghwamun that I can't remember all of them, but the pig mask caught my eye, so I remembered."

As Park said, after reading the statement, President Lee wore a pig mask and shouted slogans with his fist clenched. "Animals are not food, test subjects, fur sources, or exhibition objects! Animals also have the right to live happily without suffering!"

An elderly man with graying hair applauded and responded, "That's right, that's right. Honestly, that's true." Other citizens looked at President Lee wearing the pig mask with interest as they passed by.

Chairman Lee Won-bok of the Korea Animal Protection Alliance lying on the floor wearing a pig mask and shouting slogans. Photo by Hyun-joo Park phj0325@

The ground was soaked wet right after the rain, but President Lee lay down on it without concern. He explained that after protesting for several years, he is used to this level of rain. Despite the bad weather, he went out every week to protest and call for animal protection. Based on his love for animals, President Lee himself has maintained a strict vegan lifestyle for over 30 years.

What is harder for him than the weather is the indifference of citizens. He criticized, "There are still people who say, 'Animals exist only as means for humans,' or 'What importance do speechless beasts have?' This thinking is speciesism, which values only the human species and is wrapped up in human selfishness, destroying the dignity and preciousness of other lives."

Still, he said he gains strength from citizens who occasionally support him. President Lee recalled, "When we march and campaign, some elderly people passing by say, 'Yes, you are doing really well,' or 'Animal protection is really necessary.' Those words remain memorable."

Regarding why he wears the pig mask, he explained, "Many people don't know, but animals are actually humans. These animals are the same as humans except for their appearance and language. Animals also feel pain when hit and bleed when stabbed. The mask symbolizes the deaths of animals that have died and been sacrificed so far."

Chairman Lee Won-bok of the Korea Animal Protection Alliance is emphasizing animal protection while wearing a pig mask. Photo by Hyun-joo Park phj0325@

President Lee welcomed former President Moon Jae-in's mention of the 'dog meat consumption' issue last September. He strongly criticized People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl's remarks on 'dog meat consumption.' He said, "Candidate Yoon said, 'I oppose dog meat consumption, but legally banning it requires social consensus.' This is like saying, 'I oppose child abuse, but legally punishing child abuse requires social consensus.' Dog meat consumption is clear animal abuse," he stated.

Earlier, on October 31st, during the final TV debate of the People Power Party presidential primary, Yoon was asked about dog meat policy and said, "Personally, I oppose it, but regarding it as a national policy, there should be social consensus among many people."

When former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min questioned, "Can the dog meat issue be left to personal choice? It is directly related to companion animal abuse," Yoon responded, "Dog meat consumption is not companion animal abuse; dogs raised for meat are raised separately." This was a rebuttal suggesting that dogs raised for meat are managed separately from companion animals.

On this day, President Lee expressed his ambition, saying, "I plan to continue working steadily to correct wrong systems and ways of thinking."

Kim Hye-sook, a member of the Korea Animal Protection Association who joined the protest, said, "The rearing and slaughter processes in factory farming, such as stalls that confine mother pigs, are extremely cruel," and questioned, "Regardless of whether animals have reason, animals are beings that feel pain, so do humans have the right to eat (meat) while causing them pain?"

Kim added, "Not everyone can be vegetarian, but (at least) it should be aimed for. Factory farming should be changed to an animal welfare farm system," emphasizing, "Our society should move toward a direction where animals and humans live together."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that the 'Committee for Discussion on Dog Meat Consumption Issues' was launched on the 9th and held its first meeting. A nationwide survey on public awareness regarding the ban on dog meat consumption is scheduled to be conducted within this month.

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