▁of ▁dog ▁in ▁Korea ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁world . ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁pro - dog ▁meat ▁individuals ▁attempted ▁to ▁promote ▁and ▁public ize ▁the ▁consumption ▁of ▁dog ▁meat ▁world wide ▁during ▁the ▁run - up ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup , ▁co - host ed ▁by ▁Japan ▁and ▁South ▁Korea , ▁which ▁prompt ed ▁ret ali ation ▁from ▁animal ▁rights ▁campaign ers ▁and ▁prominent ▁figures ▁such ▁as ▁Brig itte ▁B ard ot ▁to ▁den ounce ▁the ▁practice . ▁O pp on ents ▁of ▁dog ▁meat ▁consumption ▁in ▁South ▁Korea ▁are ▁critical ▁of ▁the ▁e ating ▁of ▁dog ▁meat , ▁as ▁some ▁dogs ▁are ▁be aten , ▁bur nt ▁or ▁h anged ▁to ▁make ▁their ▁meat ▁more ▁tender . ▁ ▁The ▁restaur ants ▁that ▁sell ▁dog ▁meat , ▁often ▁exclus ively , ▁do ▁so ▁at ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁losing ▁their ▁restaurant ▁lic enses . ▁A ▁case ▁of ▁a ▁dog ▁meat ▁wh oles aler , ▁charged ▁with ▁s elling ▁dog ▁meat , ▁arose ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁where ▁an ▁appe als ▁court ▁acqu itted ▁the ▁dog ▁meat ▁wh oles aler , ▁r uling ▁that ▁dogs ▁were ▁soci ally ▁accepted ▁as ▁food . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly ▁of ▁South ▁Korea , ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁restaur ants , ▁including ▁the ▁ 6 , 4 8 4 ▁registered ▁restaur ants , ▁served ▁sou ps ▁made ▁from ▁dog ▁meat ▁in ▁Korea ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9