Gangwon Province Opens First Pet Support Center in the Region
Total Project Cost of 9.4 Billion Won... Opens in Sacheon, Gangneung
Gangwon Establishes Hub for Public Companion Animal Welfare and Culture
On November 6, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) announced that it held the opening ceremony for the province’s first public companion animal welfare and cultural facility, the “Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Pet Support Center,” located in Sacheon-myeon, Gangneung City.
The opening ceremony was attended by Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Kim Hong-kyu, Mayor of Gangneung, local residents, companion animal protection organizations, the veterinary association, and officials from related institutions. Over 100 people gathered to celebrate the launch of the center.
The Pet Support Center is a public multi-purpose cultural facility established to realize “a Gangwon where people and animals are happy together,” in line with the era of 15 million companion animals in Korea. With a total project cost of 9.4 billion won, construction began in March 2024 and was completed in September 2025. The center was built on a site of 19,000 square meters, with a total floor area of 2,000 square meters.
The center operates as a complex space focused on education, experience, and healing, equipped with seminar rooms, behavior correction rooms, a pet clinic, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, and a multipurpose auditorium. Various programs in which residents can directly participate will be offered on a regular basis, including companion animal education by life stage, vocational training, zoonotic disease testing, and cultural and healing programs.
Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province plans to use this opening as an opportunity to strengthen the public-based companion animal welfare system and develop the center into a sustainable policy hub connecting education, culture, and industry for companion animals.
Governor Kim Jin-tae expressed his gratitude, saying, “When I first received a report on this project after taking office as governor, the provincial finances were not abundant, but thanks to the active cooperation of Gangneung City, we were able to push forward without wavering.” He added, “The province will directly manage the center, and we plan to prioritize hiring local residents as operating staff.”
He also said, “As a companion animal owner myself, raising a three-year-old Jindo dog, I am well aware of the difficulties faced by pet owners. Moving forward, we will develop the center into a space where companion animals can freely run, heal, receive treatment, and be educated. We will also soon hold a public contest to select a new name for the center.”
Meanwhile, at the opening ceremony, the Governor’s Commendation was awarded to officials from Gangwon Development Corporation and the construction company. The event concluded successfully with an unveiling ceremony, a tour of the center, and the screening of a promotional video, receiving an enthusiastic response from attendees.
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