Fostering the Companion Animal Industry
Strengthening Animal Protection and Welfare
Imsil County in North Jeolla Province established the Companion Industry Division on July 1 and has officially begun its operations.
According to the county on July 10, the Companion Industry Division is a dedicated department created in response to the era of 15 million companion animal owners. Its role is to nurture the companion animal industry, which is a key driving force for the county, as a new growth engine for the region. The division will also implement policies to boost tourism, promote companion culture, and revitalize education related to the companion industry.
Imsil County established the Companion Industry Division on the 1st and has officially started its operations. Photo by Imsil County
The main responsibilities of the division include fostering the companion animal industry, expanding companion animal infrastructure, operating companion tourism content, and strengthening animal protection and welfare.
The county plans to lead the revitalization of the local economy by developing the World Famous Dog Theme Land in the Osu Dog Tourist Site area, operating the Osu Dog Campground, managing the Companion Animal Support Center (Osu Banryeonuri), hosting specialized companion animal festivals (ImsilN Pet Star), and attracting international dog shows.
To establish itself as a sanctuary for 15 million companion animal owners, the county is currently investing 18 billion KRW to create the World Famous Dog Theme Land, which will feature an art museum, petcation facilities, walking trails, and nightscape installations. The county is also working on establishing a center where visitors can directly experience and interact with famous dog breeds from over 100 countries, and is promoting the construction of a pet-friendly hotel to boost stay-type companion tourism.
Through these efforts, the county aims to create a complex cultural space where people and companion animals can enjoy various amenities together. It also plans to complete a tourism belt connecting Imsil Cheese Theme Park, Okjeongho Suspension Bridge, Bungeo Island Ecological Park, and Osu World Famous Dog Theme Land, thereby enhancing its status as a stay-type tourism city.
Starting in the second half of this year, the Companion Animal Support Center (Osu Banryeonuri) will begin full-scale operations. In collaboration with Wonkwang University, the center will offer systematic education related to companion animals and provide cultural experience programs for companion animal owners.
In the Osu Dog Tourist Site area, facilities such as Donghwa Madang, Wori's Garden, an outdoor performance hall, companion animal playgrounds, and a multipurpose lawn plaza have been completed, providing spaces where visitors can play and relax freely.
The Osu Pet Memorial Park, the nation's first public animal cremation facility, serves as a space for saying a final farewell and sharing memories with companion animals. It has received strong support not only from local residents but also from companion animal owners in nearby areas, and continues to attract many visitors.
The Osu Dog National Leisure Campground, which started full-scale operations this month, is expected to play an important role in attracting travelers accompanied by their companion animals, as it offers a camping space where people can enjoy nature with their pets.
County Governor Shim Min stated, "The establishment of the Companion Industry Division lays the foundation for Imsil County to become a mecca of the companion animal industry," adding, "We will do our best to build a companion industry ecosystem where all county residents can grow together and to inject vitality into the region."
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