Two paws up! Korea eases ban on pets inside restaurants

Visitors and their pets tour booths during the pet industry exhibition in Gangnam, Seoul, March 16. Yonhap

Park Youn-su, who raised a Chinese Shar-Pei for about 10 years, still vividly remembers the cold winter days when she had to eat outside with her dog.

“Bringing dogs inside the restaurant was strictly forbidden, so I had to eat outside under the parasols,” she told The Korea Times. “If I could bring my dog inside a restaurant, it would be better for the dog too, and for pet owners, it would create more opportunities to spend time together and even increase places to spend money.”

Her dream could soon come true.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on Friday that it will issue a legislative notice for a new law allowing companion animals in restaurants, aiming to improve convenience for pet owners and broaden their dining options.

Under the current law, areas where food and beverages are consumed must be separate from spaces where pets are allowed, making it illegal to bring companion animals into the dining areas of regular restaurants. However, under the newly proposed laws, establishments that meet specific facility standards could allow pets and their owners to share the same dining space.

But not all pets will be permitted in every restaurant. Only dogs and cats — which make up the majority of companion animals in Korea and have relatively high vaccination rates — will be allowed inside restaurants that meet the necessary standards and choose to permit pets.

The ministry's revision also includes new hygiene and safety standards for pet-friendly dining establishments.

Dogs wear clothing at the pet industry exhibition in Gangnam, Seoul, March 16. Yonhap

Pet-friendly restaurants are required to install barriers or fences to prevent the animals from entering kitchens, food storage areas and other restricted zones, and must provide hand sanitizer or sanitation supplies at entrances.

Displaying signs at the entrance indicating that pets are allowed is also mandatory. Inside, notices must be posted stating that pets cannot roam freely away from their guardians. Facilities such as pet-specific seating or leash hooks must also be installed.

To prevent pets from coming into contact with customers or other animals, tables must be spaced sufficiently apart.

To ensure hygiene and prevent cross-contamination, displayed food must be covered with lids to protect from animal fur. Pets' dishes must be clearly labeled and stored separately from those for human use, and a designated trash can for animal waste must be provided.

Pets that have not been vaccinated are prohibited from entering, and restaurants are required to post signs to that effect.

Violations of these standards could result in administrative action, including suspension of business operations.

As the number of pet owners here continues to rise, there have been growing calls to allow companion animals in restaurants.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs surveyed 5,000 people last year and found that 28.6 percent owned pets, marking an all-time high.

However, opposition to allowing animals into places where people eat is also strong.

“I don’t think I’d feel great having a dog right next to me while I’m eating,” Han Jun-gu, a 28-year-old photojournalist, told The Korea Times.

“Some people might have allergies, and if fur flies around, it wouldn’t feel very hygienic. Plus, there are people who are simply afraid of cats or dogs.”

Earlier this month, the Korea Consumer Agency found that many restaurants in the Seoul metropolitan area participating in a government-supervised pilot program in 2023 allowing pets lacked proper safety and hygiene measures.

Among the 19 restaurants surveyed, 16 had open access to kitchens, raising concerns that pets could enter without restriction. Not a single restaurant had installed covers to prevent foreign substances from contaminating food. In addition, 15 venues lacked pet-specific seating or leash hooks, creating risks that animals could roam freely or come into contact with others.