Why Mapo-gu Is Known as a Great City to Live with Pets?

Creating a Next-Level Pet Camping Site Beyond Pet Playgrounds...Securing Top Location as Pet-Friendly Zone
Supporting Animal Registration for Adopters of Abandoned Animals to Encourage Adoption
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, "We Will Realize the Value of Life Respect and Make Mapo a Happy Place for Pets"

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, enjoying a pleasant time with his pet dog

‘Click click’, “Yeppi, look here!”

At Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Park Gang-su), the sound of pet owners’ phone camera shutters is constantly heard. They are capturing the adorable moments of their dogs enjoying a walk on their phones.

In the era of 15 million pet owners, dogs and cats have already become synonymous with pets. Recently, pet owners jokingly refer to themselves as gaejipsa (dog masters) and nyangjipsa (cat masters), showing that pets are no longer just animals but family members.

According to Mapo-gu, KB Real Estate, a real estate platform by KB Kookmin Bank, analyzed 8,873 pet-friendly businesses in Seoul and found that Mapo-gu has 1,084 pet-related businesses, the highest number among Seoul’s districts.

“Pet-se-gwon” is a newly coined term combining “pet” and “-se-gwon” derived from “station area,” referring to areas with sufficient facilities for pets nearby.

Ranked first in pet-se-gwon, Mapo-gu borders the Han River the longest among Seoul’s districts, and the Gyeongui Line Forest Park runs through its center, making it the best city for pet owners to walk with their pets.

Living up to its reputation as a city good for pets, Mapo-gu has been developing a “Pet Camping Ground” on a 2,863㎡ site within Nanji Hangang Park in Sangam-dong since last year, aiming to open it in June this year.

To find a suitable site for the pet camping ground, Mapo-gu officials thoroughly surveyed areas from Sangam-dong to Gongdeok-dong and Dohwa-dong last year. Thanks to amendments to the River Act, Mapo-gu was able to build exercise and rest facilities for registered animals on river land it owns within Nanji Hangang Park. Considering that pet owners frequently visit the Han River, this was a perfect fit.

The pet camping ground being developed by Mapo-gu goes beyond the existing dog parks where leashes or harnesses are simply removed for play. It focuses on both pet owners and pets, allowing them to enjoy various leisure and cultural activities and pet-specialized services all in one space.

The camping ground will have separate areas for small and large dogs to safely run and play, drinking fountains, play facilities, and camping decks where owners can enjoy camping while taking in views of the Han River with their dogs.

Convenience facilities stocked with pet supplies, snacks, and food will also be established. Mapo-gu plans to operate a behavior counseling room here and provide dog behavior correction and pet etiquette education.

Additionally, for pet owners who want to enjoy camping but do not have personal camping gear, a rental service for tents and mats will be offered, enabling anyone to easily enjoy eco-friendly leisure activities.

Moreover, Mapo-gu plans to operate a water play area during the summer to help dogs beat the heat, allowing both pet owners and pets to have a cool summer.

Mapo-gu’s efforts to foster a healthy pet culture extend beyond creating pet-related facilities. Last year, it provided behavior correction education for 50 households with dogs, and this year, the number of supported households has increased to 70. Furthermore, education for training pet professionals will also be conducted.

Park Gang-su, mayor of Mapo District, is enjoying a walk with his pet dog.

For pet health, rabies vaccinations are administered to dogs and cats in the area, and basic checkups, essential vaccinations, and heartworm prevention medicine are provided for pets of basic livelihood security recipients and low-income households.

This year, Mapo-gu will also implement a unique policy to encourage adoption of abandoned animals. Starting in March, adopters of abandoned animals will be able to register their pets for free, helping to spread a culture of adoption rather than purchase.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “As the number of pet owners continues to increase, administrative services related to pets must also accompany this trend, so we are implementing various policies. Mapo-gu will do its best to realize the social value of respecting life and ensure that pet owners and their pets live happy lives.”

Mayor Park Gang-su is recognized as a district head who revitalizes the community by providing “Hyo-do Bapsang” (filial piety meals) for seniors aged 75 and older, supporting their lunch, creating the “Red Road” to boost the Hongdae commercial district, and now developing a pet camping ground.