Purr-mission granted: Yongsan finds homes for street cats

A cat is seen resting inside a stray cat shelter set up by caretakers at an urban renewal zone in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. Korea Times photo by Ko Eun-kyung

As Seoul’s urban landscape transforms, the fate of its street cats often goes unnoticed. But a growing conversation is emerging, not just about compassion, but about institutional responsibility for animal welfare. Korea is beginning to ask, how should laws and policies protect the most vulnerable urban residents?

Controversies surrounding stray cats are long-standing in Korea, reflecting tensions between citizens who care for the animals and others concerned about hygiene, noise and population growth.

To address this, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has implemented a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program since 2016, which humanely sterilizes cats and returns them to the streets, with the goal of reducing population growth and citizen complaints.

These institutional-level efforts have seen Seoul’s stray cat population shrink from an estimated 250,000 in 2013 to about 116,000 in 2022, according to official data from the city and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

However, advocates continue to call for clearer policies and more tailored programs to balance public health, animal welfare and community harmony.

A cat is seen sitting on a rooftop at an urban renewal zone in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. Courtesy of Hannam-dong Stray Cat Friends Rescue Center

Development displaces more than just people

Large-scale redevelopment projects add to the problems, as cats are often abandoned or displaced when people move out, and the ones who don't escape to surrounding areas are often killed when the buildings are torn down. The ongoing Hannam New Town redevelopment project in Yongsan District underscores these challenges, as the cats, who are territorial, lose their homes amid demolition and restricted access.

Yongsan District has stepped forward with YongsanCats, a grassroots rescue and adoption group, to protect cats left behind or injured by urban redevelopment. Since April, Yongsan District and YongsanCats have partnered to pioneer a Trap-Neuter-Adopt (TNA) program to rehome cats instead of returning them to the streets.

“We’re aiming for 100 adoptions this year,” a Yongsan District animal protection official told The Korea Times.

Unlike other Seoul districts, Yongsan took the initiative to translate policy into practice — becoming the first to embed animal-human coexistence into urban redevelopment.

YongsanCats conducts spot-checks with volunteers to ensure the animals' well-being while the cats are being fostered, as well as after adoption.

“What do street cats really need?” asks Julie Choi, founder of YongsanCats, recalling how the district’s TNA (Trap-Neuter-Adopt) program came to life. After years of rescuing and rehoming cats across Korea — from Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, to Incheon — Choi proposed a new model to Yongsan District officials based on hands-on experience. With strong support from Yongsan District Office's public health director Lee Ji-won and animal protection officer Lee Jong-myung, the project was officially launched in April.

Unlike TNR, TNA is a long-term program for stray cats that offers health checks, vaccination and microchipping without ear-tipping (during TNR, the tip of the cat's ear is cut off, a visual cue to prevent needless repeat trapping).

“Adopters are expected to cooperate with any requests for photos or videos as part of post-adoption monitoring,” she added. “However, we also face serious challenges due to a limited budget and gaps in institutional support. While some cities allocate funds for animal welfare, public awareness about TNR programs remains low. Improving awareness around caring for stray cats and establishing stronger legal backing are urgent priorities.”

To achieve this, there needs to be clear legal responsibility for the care of stray cats.

An activist from Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) engages in cat protection efforts within an urban redevelopment zone in this undated photo. Courtesy of KARA

International legal models for coexistence

Examples from Europe offer compelling answers. The U.K. leads in feline welfare through strong legal protections. As of June 2024, all pet cats must be microchipped by 20 weeks of age, with noncompliance resulting in fines of up to 500 pounds ($667.50). While the law excludes feral or unowned cats, it enhances the likelihood of reuniting lost cats with their owners through mandatory scanning and public notice efforts.

In contrast, Korea only mandates pet registration for dogs. While some local governments like Yongsan District have piloted cat microchipping programs, the lack of strong regulation leaves stray cats with little formal protection.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, stray cats in the U.K. are protected from abuse and neglect, and TNR programs are widely practiced to manage urban cat populations humanely. Cats Protection, the country’s largest feline welfare charity, sterilizes over 150,000 cats and rehomes 43,000 annually, operating with a 60 million pound budget and 10,000 volunteers. These efforts, rooted in community action since the 1950s, reflect how legal clarity and civic coordination can make coexistence sustainable.

Similarly, Germany enforces strict legal responsibility. Since 2019, Hanover requires all outdoor cats over 5 months old to be neutered and microchipped, with owners or even people who just feed them facing up to 5,000 euros in fines if they fail to comply. Feeding, in other words, comes with a legal responsibility.

Korea’s Animal Protection Act, first enacted in 1991, lacks clear mandates for stray cats. While cruelty is prohibited, care is not required. As a result, most welfare efforts remain volunteer-driven, with little institutional support or legal structure.

Yongsan District in Seoul stands as a rare exception, treating strays as fellow urban residents. The initiative represents more than animal aid — it’s a legal and ethical initiative focusing on inclusion.

With redevelopment projects displacing countless strays, can local models like Yongsan’s inform national policy? Advocates argue that coexistence must be a matter not just of compassion but of codified civic responsibility. In this sense, cities are being asked if urban spaces are built only for people or for all who inhabit them?

Sky and Guseul, kittens rescued in April 2021, are seen in this photo provided by Korea Animal Rights Advocates. Korea Times file

People who want to participate must apply to become an adopter or temporary caregiver and submit photos as proof before trapping the cat and transferring it to a designated animal hospital. More details and applications are available at yongsancats.com, Adopter Application
or via the district's Animal Protection Team at 02-2199-8053.