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Being in the hospital for any period of time can be very dreary and lonesome. The bright lights and lack of color surrounding you can make the minutes to feel like hours, and there’s only so much you can do from your hospital bed before you start feeling a little stir-crazy. It’s enough to make you wonder if you’re destined to spend the rest of your days in that white, disinfectant-scented prison.

But a “get well soon” gift from a friend or relative always makes a hospital stay better. It shows that someone out there cares about your well-being and hopes you will be on your feet and home again in no time. Whether the gift is flowers or a teddy bear, anything will instantly improve your situation.

But how would you feel if you were gifted dog meat while laid up in hospital?

On the morning of March 5, the United States Ambassador to South Korea, Mr. Mark Lippert, was slashed in the face and hand by knife-wielding Korean Kim Ki-jong. The Korean Police Department arrested Kim the next day on a number of charges including attempted murder and assaulting a foreign envoy.

Though the ambassador’s injuries weren’t life threatening, he required 80 stitches and has remained in the hospital since the attack. Support for him and his family from the United States and South Korea has been overwhelming. But one well-wisher’s gift certainly stood out from the rest.

▼Looks tasty, but what is it?

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In Korea, there is apparently a customary present given to those who are recovering from surgery; an effective meal to assist in the healing process. You guessed it: dog meat.

An unnamed man who appeared to be in his 70s reportedly strolled up to the hospital on March 7 with a traditional gift that he wished to hand over to the ambassador. When hospital staff asked the man what he had brought, he told them that it was dog meat and wakame seaweed soup. The staff quickly, but politely, thanked the man for his gift but declined to pass it on to the ambassador.

You see, it’s a well-known fact that Mr. Lippert is a dog lover and can often be seen walking his dog, Grisby, around near his residence in Seoul. Thankfully, this kind gesture ruffled very few feathers and we can laugh off the cultural differences and wish Mr. Lippert a continued speedy recovery.

▼More pictures of dog meat…

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Source: Livedoor News
Top Image: Flickr (Dave Rutt)
Inset Images: RocketNews24