N.Korea to Hold 1st Dogsled Race

A group of 100 dogs next month will cross the inter-Korean border to compete in North Korea’s first dogsled race.

The canines will participate on Feb. 16 on a beach near Mount Geumgang. Their visit will come ten years after Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung crossed the military border with 1,001 cows.

○ Unfamiliar Practice in North Korea

The event got the green light after the Korean Federation of Dogsled Sports obtained permission from the North through the South Korean company of Hyundai Asan. The federation first made its proposal in September 2005.

Federation president Kim Tae-ryong said, “When you travel abroad, you can take your dog with you, but taking dogs to North Korea was not allowed.”

Persuading Pyongyang to admit the dogs was difficult, however. North Koreans have low regard for dogs as pets and consider the animals a type of livestock.

Kim said, “They asked why we wanted to bring the dogs or if we were playing around with food.” He persisted and finally received a notification letter this month permitting the dogs’ entry if they passed inspection.

The letter said the dogs should be vaccinated against rabies and take preventive medicine to ward off pests.

○ Race Near Mount Geumgang Beach

For this event, 40 dog-sled riders will visit North Korea. Most of the dogs are Siberian huskies, but two Jindos and two Pungsans were included for side events.

The dogs will cross the truce line on the morning of Feb. 16. After being inspected by South Korean vets, the dogs will be loaded on a five-ton truck in kennels.

North Korea will not separately quarantine the dogs, but will conclude inspection procedures with a final look at the quarantine confirmation letter.

One race will be held on the afternoon of Feb. 16 and another in the evening on a road beside the beach near Mount Geumgang.

“Dog-sled racing opened on snowy hills and mountains is a sport that can be better enjoyed in North Korea,” Kim said. “Next time, I’d like to hold the races on Mount Baekdu.”

hic@donga.com