Bardot gets a roasting by Koreans

Brigitte Bardot, 67, the French sex symbol turned animal-rights activist, sent an appeal to the Korean people Tuesday, saying that she had received floods of hate mail criticizing her hostility to the Korean custom of eating dogs. Her reply came in the form of a letter to the Korean people, delivered to the JoongAng Ilbo's correspondent in Paris.

Miss Bardot had aroused Korean ire not only by her opposition to eating dog meat but by hanging up on a talk-show host, MBC's Sohn Suk-hee on Monday. By international telephone, he asked if Miss Bardot was aware that some Westerners visiting Korea have tasted dog meat. She replied that Mr. Sohn was lying and cut off the conversation.

It was her second battle of words with Mr. Sohn. When he interviewed her Nov. 28 on the same program, the actress insisted that Korean were "savage" people to raise dogs for food.

Angry radio audiences lighted up the network's bulletin board, upbraiding Miss Bardot for refusing to acknowledge cultural distinctiveness.

In Tuesday's appeal, Miss Bardot said that she was disappointed that Koreans had misunderstood her. She stressed that she opposes any cruelty to animals, including European practices of eating horsemeat, bullfighting and hunting. But she said it was nonsense to justify a savage custom under the disguise of cultural relativism. She said she hoped that not every Korean would neglect the pains of the butchered dogs, and that only Koreans can stop barbarious acts.

by Ahn Hai-ri