To the POSCO Group, 

POSCO is a leading, multinational Korean Company which has won many awards for ethical management.  Your corporate mission is ‘to contribute to the nation’s development’ and you are keen to point out that you have ‘carried out various social responsibility activities’. 

As the world’s fourth-largest steelmaker, your company has to rely on the export and foreign markets; and it is of great importance that your customers retain a positive image of your company, and your country. 

But, the billion dollar Korean dog and cat meat trades, and the associated cruelty, are now common knowledge across the world.  Internationally, people are stating that they will not buy Korean goods or use Korean services, because of the shocking and brutal practices that are routinely being carried out within all parts of these abhorrent trades. 

South Korea is the only country in the world which commercially farms cats and dogs for consumption.  Each year, many millions of animals are being bred and raised in large and ‘backyard’ farms all over your country; and they are kept with absolutely no regard for any animal welfare: in cramped, filthy, barren cages, exposed to all elements - living with unending fear and pain. 

Finally, after all of this suffering, and because of ignorant Korean beliefs, these animals are condemned to hideous deaths by horrendous and deliberately prolonged methods of slaughter: inhumane and brutal methods, which are unnecessary, unacceptable, and illegal. 

Despite continuous pleas, even from dedicated citizens within your own country, your Government does nothing to end this animal abuse - or even to monitor or enforce its own laws.  This is not the action of a 21st Century, major economic world power, with a leading education system; this is not the action of a civilized nation.  This is a shameful denial of immoral behaviour that is rife within their society. 

POSCO, you state that your aim is ‘for a better world’ - surely a better world must be a world that encompasses care and compassion for all living creatures - one where leading, influential companies, such as yours, strive to ensure better ethical standards and awareness, not just amongst its own employees, but also its own country’s citizens. 

Your ‘Vision for Social Responsibility’ clearly points out your Strategy Direction: to strengthen cooperation with government; and includes in your Focus Area: the local community, and the future generation.  As such, we implore you to stand up for what is right and to help bring an end to this suffering and cruelty.  You must urge your government to act now: South Korea has to strengthen and enforce its animal protection laws, and it has to permanently ban the consumption of dog and cat meat. 

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Send an online message directly to POSCO (You can use our petition text as sample letter): http://www.posco.com/homepage/docs/eng5/jsp/support/qa/s91f1010010l.jsp?news_cat_num=1