Gimpo City Implements Nation's First 'Pet Funeral Service Fee Discount' for All Citizens

Gimpo City Signs MOU with Five Pet Funeral Service Providers
Mayor Kim Byungsu: "Pets Are Family; Gimpo to Lead as a Pet-Friendly City"
5% Discount on Total Funeral Costs for Gimpo Citizens, Up to 20% for Vulnerable Groups

Gimpo City in Gyeonggi Province has become the first in the nation to offer discounted pet funeral service fees to all of its citizens.

Kim Byungsu, Mayor of Gimpo (third from the right), is taking a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement with five local animal funeral service companies on the 1st. Provided by Gimpo City

According to Gimpo City on May 2, the city signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with five local animal funeral service providers on May 1, establishing a system that allows any citizen to use pet funeral services at a discounted rate.

Through this agreement, Gimpo residents can receive a 5% discount on the total funeral cost, while low-income groups such as basic livelihood security recipients can receive up to a 20% discount. Notably, this is the first case nationwide of a "full-process discount" that goes beyond the limited discounts previously offered by some local governments, which were restricted to cremation fees or columbarium usage fees.

Gimpo City expects that this initiative, in line with the societal perception of pets as family members in an era of 15 million pet owners, will help reduce citizens' financial burdens and contribute to the establishment of a more mature pet funeral culture.

Mayor Kim Byungsu of Gimpo stated, "Parting with a pet is not a simple matter, but a very emotionally significant moment for citizens," adding, "Through this agreement, we hope to establish a dignified funeral culture, and Gimpo City will fulfill its responsibilities as a pet-friendly city."

Mayor Kim further remarked, "While the number of pet-owning households continues to rise, what is even more important is the changing perception of pets in our society," and added, "As a leading pet-friendly city, Gimpo will move toward becoming a place where both pet owners and non-pet owners coexist, and where pets themselves can be happy."

Previously, Gimpo City was the first in the nation to open a public veterinary clinic for pets, and this new policy of discounted funeral costs is an extension of efforts to expand pet welfare infrastructure. The city also announced that it will provide reliable services to citizens by conducting ongoing inspections and quality management of the partner funeral service providers.

This agreement is being recognized as a leading example of proactive local government involvement in pet welfare, and attention is now focused on whether it will be adopted by other municipalities.