Shift in Status for Pets: President Lee Says 'Pets Are Family'
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
President Lee Jae-myung suggested recently that pet-related affairs might move from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, saying “pets are family.” Currently, pet policy is handled by the agriculture ministry because it oversees livestock, but officials and the public note livestock and companion animals are different. At a government briefing, Lee proposed creating an animal welfare office (동물복지원) and asked whether it should be placed under the family ministry; Minister Won Min-kyung said many people consider pets part of the family and that the ministry would act if the public wanted it. The president warned the change could spark heated debate and urged officials to consider where pet affairs should be housed. Lee has previously emphasized Korea’s growing pet population and a vision of harmonious coexistence and advanced animal welfare.
