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| Friday, May 10, 2002 03:39 EST |
Restaurant owners scrap plans for samples
[Associated Press]
SEOUL, South Korea -- A group of dog meat restaurant owners
said Friday it scrapped a plan to offer World Cup tourists free
samples of the dishes.
In late April, 150 restaurant owners said they would set up
stalls near World Cup stadiums during the May 31-June 30 tournament
and offer free samples of steamed meat, as well as soup, sandwiches
and hamburgers made of dog meat.
"Since our plan was revealed, we have come under pressure from
authorities and others," said Park Sung-soo, head of the
organization. "We will not go against the government's wishes."
Park's plan had made government officials uneasy.
Concerned about its image, South Korea temporarily closed down
dog meat restaurants in Seoul when it staged the 1988 Summer
Olympics. It cited a law that bans sales of "unsightly food."
International animal rights groups have condemned the practice
and asked South Korea to ban dog meat sales during the tournament.
Local animal rights groups had vowed to block dog meat dealers
from conducting the street campaign.
Advocates argue that dog meat is part of South Korean cuisine.
About 3 million of South Korea's 47 million people are believed to
eat dog meat, and there are an estimated 6,000 dog meat restaurants
nationwide.
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