Lady Freethinker has big news following our undercover investigation: Mayor Cho Kwang-han is issuing a demolition order against S. Korea’s largest remaining dog meat auction house. Now, we need your voice to urge the city to follow through and shut this auction house of horrors down for good!
“It may take a couple of months from the date of issue,” Save Korean Dogs posted on Facebook. “I think we are getting there. Thank you for [signing] the petition, but we need you to send emails to the officials at the relevant departments. [This] will expedite the process.”
Please send this email to encourage swift demolition of the auction house (thank you, Heather Heath, for creating the message):
Subject: Nakwon Auction House
These are the addresses (you can send one email with all addresses in the “To” line):
Construction Lead:
gbelt37@naver.com
Secretary to Mayor Cho: Sohn, Won Cheol.
marlon21@korea.kr
Animal Welfare Team Leader at the Agricultural and Livestock Dept.: Kim, Byung Joon
kbj1005@korea.kr
And the following are individuals we are targeting to come out and enforce the closure:
Land Department, Industry and Construction, International Program, City Policy Department, Legal Department, Civil Complaint Dept. (just copy and paste them into the “to” line):
mdada@korea.kr; ch1204@korea.kr; anachron@korea.kr; kimjb11@korea.kr; pjy5250@korea.kr; want12@korea.kr; jinheejung@korea.kr; staik7935@korea.kr; kjw514@korea.kr; gbelt37@naver.com; siss@korea.kr
Below is a template of the letter (in English and Korean). You can copy both and paste them (just fill in the signature line):
Dear Officials of Namyangju:
As COVID19 causes chaos all over the world, you must know that it is incredibly important to not only regulate dog farming and close dog auction houses but to perhaps find alternative solutions to the consumption of dog meat in order to prevent the next global pandemic from taking root. Presently, the dog meat auction house in Namyangju is illegally operating on land owned by the city. We wholeheartedly support your efforts to enforce its closure in an effort show other cities that change can only come from taking action. Together we can make Namyangju a city to be recognized for positive contributions to society and help them become a leader in setting standards for others to follow.
Your compassion and strength of conviction to take on this fight is inspiring and respected by thousands of us around the world. The inhumane treatment of dogs and cats throughout Asia has become a global issue but I truly believe through working together, understanding nationalities, and finding mutually acceptable practices, we will be able to provide alternative and sustainable solutions and end this nightmare before us.
Thank you for being a part of the solution.
Respectfully,
[Your name and location]
친애하는 남양주 공무원분들께:
COVID19가 전 세계적으로 혼란을 야기하고 있습니다. 공무원분들께서 개 사육장과 인근 개 경매장을 규제하는 것뿐만 아니라 개고기 소비의 대안적인 해결책을 찾는 것이 다음 세계적인 유행병이 뿌리를 내리지 않도록 하는 매우 중요한 점입니다. 현재 남양주의 개고기 경매장은 시가 소유한 토지에 불법으로 운영되고 있습니다. 도시들이 변화를 취하는 것만이 변화를 가져올 수 있다는 것을 보여주기 위해, 폐점을 강행하려는 공무원분들의 노력을 진심으로 지지합니다. 우리는 함께, 남양주를 사회에 긍정적인 기여를 하는 인정받는 도시로 만들고, 다른 도시들이 따를 수 있는 기준을 마련하는 데 선도자가 되도록 도울 수 있습니다.
이 싸움에 임하는 공무원분들의 연민과 신념의 힘은 전 세계 수천명의 사람들에게 영감을 주며, 우리는 여러분을 존경하고 있습니다. 아시아 전역에서 개와 고양이에 대한 비인간적인 대우는 세계적인 이슈가 되었지만, 저는 진심을 담아 함께 일하고 국적을 이해하며 상호수용 가능한 관행을 찾음으로써, 대안적이고 지속 가능한 해결책을 제공할 수 있고, 우리 앞에 놓인 이 악몽을 끝낼 수 있을 것이라고 믿습니다.
해결책의 일부가 되어주신 것에 대해 감사드립니다.
존경합니다,
[Your name and location]
