Korean tourists fuel demand for dog meat in Cambodia

Riding a motorcycle with a cage, Pov Nat scours rural areas for dogs. He pays between 30,000 ($7.38) and 80,000 riel a head and sells the animals to a butcher in Siem Reap.

The 21-year-old native of Kampong Cham province began buying dogs after coming to live with his uncle in Rohal commune in Preah Nethpreach district.

“I never thought of this business. I left my hometown to find work. But I don’t want to work in Thailand, so I chose this,” he said.

Pov Nat said he began buying dogs after becoming acquainted with the butcher in Siem Reap. The butcher supplies restaurants catering to tourists from South Korea.

“I buy between six and 11 dogs a day and purchases are based on orders from the butcher in Siem Reap,” he said. The butcher pays him 16,000 riel a kilogram for each dog.

“Dogs bought from rural areas have good meat. The clients in Siem Reap like it but say the meat is not as delicious as dog meat raised abroad.”

For now, the only obstacle to supplying Koreans with one of their favorite foods seems to be police manning checkpoints.

“They as me for 10,000 riel when I pass each checkpoint,” Pov Nat said.

“When I use something to cover the cage, they accuse me of transporting illegal animals. But when I remove the cover, they accuse me of disturbing public order. Then they accuse me of this or that and finally ask me for money.”

In South Korea, where dogs are farmed, dog meat is typically prepared in a soup known as bosintang. Unlike China, where dog meat is considered a winter dish, dog in South Korea is particularly popular in the hot summer months. (Rasmei Kampuchea Daily/Asia News Network)

<관련 한글기사>

'보신탕' 해외에서도 인기, 왜?


앙코르와트로 유명한 캄보디아의 씨엠립. 이곳을 찾는 한국관광객들 때문에 최근 개고기 수요가 증가하고 있다고 캄보디아 최대 일간지 라스메이 캄푸치아가 일요일 보도했다. 

캄보디아에서는 개고기를 즐겨 먹지 않지만 씨엠립의 식당들이 한국인들에게 개고기를 팔면서 시골에서 자란 개들의 거래가 최근 활발하다고 이 신문은 전했다.

정육점에 개고기를 납품하는 한 배달원은 “하루에 6-11마리의 개를 사서 주문이 들어오면 공급하고 있으며 마리당 가격은 30,000-90,000 리엘 (한국돈 8천원에서 2만4천원)”이라고 말했다.

그는 또한 “한국 손님들이 씨엠립 개고기가 맛있다고 하는데 그래도 다른 나라에서 먹는 것 만큼 맛있지는 않다고 했다”고 덧붙였다.

다른 육류와는 달리 개고기는 캄보디아 보건당국의 관리를 받지 않는데 씨엠립 검문소에서는 직원들이 “통행료” 명목으로 10,000 리엘 (약 3천원) 정도를 요구하는 경우도 있다고 한다.

이 신문은 또한 중국인들은 주로 겨울에 개고기를 먹지만 한국인들은 여름에 개고기를 즐겨 먹는다며 보신탕("bosingtang")을 소개했다. 

(코리아헤럴드)