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‘개먹는 나라’로 인식되던 한국. 그 비난을 딛고 새로운 애견문화가 정착된 것은 한 사람의 남다른 애견 사랑으로부터 시작됐다.
지난 1993년 삼성그룹은 국내 첫 안내견 학교를 비롯, 구조견과 동물치료 사업을 시작했다. 88년 서울 올림픽 개최 이후 외신의 “보신탕” 비난으로 국가 이미지가 추락하자 글로벌 진출을 목전에 두고 있던 삼성이 발벗고 나선 것이다. 수출판로를 뚫겠다는 기업의 전략도 있었지만, 유례 없는 동물복지사업에 뛰어든 배경에는 이건희 회장이 있었다.
이 회장은 지난 1997년 기고 에세이에서 “나는 주변사람들에게 ‘1취1예’는 있어야 삶의 질이 윤택해진다고 얘기하면서 애견을 키워보라고 한다. 나는 6.25전쟁이 막 끝났을 무렵 부친의 손에 이끌려 일본으로 건너가 거기서 초등학교를 졸업했다. 혼자 있다 보니 개가 좋은 친구가 됐고, 사람과 동물간에도 심적 대화가 가능하다는 것을 그때 알았다”고 밝혔다.
젊은 시절 이 회장은 천연기념물인 진돗개의 원산지가 한국임을 세계에 알리기위해 세계 품종협회를 직접 다니기도 했다.
이 회장이 취임 후 “삼성의 신경영”을 외쳤던 지난 1993년부터 세계에서 가장 권위있는 명견경연대회인 영국 크러프츠를 공식 후원했고, 천연기념물인 진돗개를 영국 품종협회인 켄넬클럽에도 정식 등록했다.
특히 한국의 보신탕 문화에 대한 항의로 유럽의 동물 보호 단체들이 대규모 시위를 벌이자 이 회장은 고심 끝에 이들을 한국으로 정식 초청했다. 그는 자신이 집에서 개를 기르고 있는 모습을 직접 보여주고, 한국의 애견문화도 전하면서 한국이 그들의 생각만큼 야만적이지 않다는 사실을 알리려 노력했다. 그 후, 유럽 동물애호가들의 시위와 항의는 눈에 띄게 줄어들었다.
또한 그의 특별한 애견 사랑은 국내 애견문화를 성장시키는데 많은 도움이 됐다.
20년이 지난 지금도 삼성은 시각장애인을 위한 안내견 학교를 운영하고 있다. 해외 여러 안내견 학교가 개인기부로 운영되고 있는 반면 삼성 안내견 학교는 100% 기업의 후원으로 운영되고 있다.
삼성화재안내견학교 측 하우종씨는 “이 사업은 시각장애인들이 안내견을 통해 자립심을 높이고 활동 반경을 넓힐 수 있도록 도와줬다. 특히 시각장애인과 안내견의 파트너쉽은 많은 일반인들을 감동시켰다”며 “많은 사람들이 개를 동반자로 인식하기 시작했다”고 말했다.
(코리아헤럴드 조정은 기자)
<관련 영문 기사>
Samsung’s dog-loving chairman
Man behind the growing canine companionship in Korea
By Cho Chung-un
It all started with one man’s wish to share his joy of companionship with dogs.
In 1993 Samsung Group launched Korea’s first training school for dogs for guiding the blind, search and rescue, and therapy assistance. Behind the endeavor is its chairman, Lee Kun-hee, 71, renowned for his love of dogs.
“Dogs have been a source of great comfort and happiness in my life, so I encourage people to interact more with dogs,” he wrote in an essay published at a local newspaper in 1997.
It was when he was studying in Japan in the 1950s that he realized that a heart-to-heart talk between a man and a dog is possible, he said.
“It was hard for me to get along with school life after I came back from Japan, due to high anti-Japanese sentiment at that time. So I became more attached to dogs,” he wrote.
Lee himself led efforts to promote international recognition of Korea’s native Jindo dogs in the 1970s.
Samsung’s training center still remains the world’s only dog institute that is fully funded by a company, while most other centers are funded by private donation.
“The project has helped the visually impaired people increase their independence and mobility with guide dogs. But most importantly, their special partnership has touched many people’s hearts,” said Ha Woo-jong, publicist at Samsung Guide Dog School, which manages the project on commission by Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance.
“A growing number of people have started to view dogs as companions,” he added.
Lee’s affection for dogs may have played a part in shaking off Korea’s controversial image as a “dog-eating country.”
Animal activists in Europe were planning to boycott Korean products, followed by a series of reports on Korea‘s dog-eating culture in 1988 when the country was hosting the Seoul Olympics.
Feeling frustrated, Lee invited members of animal rights organizations in Europe to his residence in Seoul and showed them around the pet industry to prove that Korea is not barbaric as they had thought. A few years later, Samsung started sponsoring Crufts, the world’s biggest dog show being held annually in the United Kingdom, and showcasing its animal welfare programs.
Lee’s efforts to improve the national image also helped his company make inroads into European markets, where animal abuse is taken seriously.
In recognition of Samsung’s work on training and breeding guide dogs to serve the blind, Lee received an award from the International Guide Dog Federation in 2002.
Lee supported the IGDF’s Seoul meeting in 2002 when the country was preparing for another international sporting event -- the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup -- and was being attacked by foreign media for its dog-eating culture again.
(christory@heraldcorp.com)
Samsung’s dog-loving chairman
Man behind the growing canine companionship in Korea
By Cho Chung-un
It all started with one man’s wish to share his joy of companionship with dogs.
In 1993 Samsung Group launched Korea’s first training school for dogs for guiding the blind, search and rescue, and therapy assistance. Behind the endeavor is its chairman, Lee Kun-hee, 71, renowned for his love of dogs.
“Dogs have been a source of great comfort and happiness in my life, so I encourage people to interact more with dogs,” he wrote in an essay published at a local newspaper in 1997.
It was when he was studying in Japan in the 1950s that he realized that a heart-to-heart talk between a man and a dog is possible, he said.
“It was hard for me to get along with school life after I came back from Japan, due to high anti-Japanese sentiment at that time. So I became more attached to dogs,” he wrote.
Lee himself led efforts to promote international recognition of Korea’s native Jindo dogs in the 1970s.
Samsung’s training center still remains the world’s only dog institute that is fully funded by a company, while most other centers are funded by private donation.
“The project has helped the visually impaired people increase their independence and mobility with guide dogs. But most importantly, their special partnership has touched many people’s hearts,” said Ha Woo-jong, publicist at Samsung Guide Dog School, which manages the project on commission by Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance.
“A growing number of people have started to view dogs as companions,” he added.
Lee’s affection for dogs may have played a part in shaking off Korea’s controversial image as a “dog-eating country.”
Animal activists in Europe were planning to boycott Korean products, followed by a series of reports on Korea‘s dog-eating culture in 1988 when the country was hosting the Seoul Olympics.
Feeling frustrated, Lee invited members of animal rights organizations in Europe to his residence in Seoul and showed them around the pet industry to prove that Korea is not barbaric as they had thought. A few years later, Samsung started sponsoring Crufts, the world’s biggest dog show being held annually in the United Kingdom, and showcasing its animal welfare programs.
Lee’s efforts to improve the national image also helped his company make inroads into European markets, where animal abuse is taken seriously.
In recognition of Samsung’s work on training and breeding guide dogs to serve the blind, Lee received an award from the International Guide Dog Federation in 2002.
Lee supported the IGDF’s Seoul meeting in 2002 when the country was preparing for another international sporting event -- the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup -- and was being attacked by foreign media for its dog-eating culture again.
(christory@heraldcorp.com)
