WEEKENDER Samsung Guide Dog School marks 33 years of changing lives
Summary
Samsung Guide Dog School has marked its 33rd anniversary in Korea, where it has provided more than 320 guide dogs to visually impaired partners free of charge since its first placement in 1994. Founded in September 1993 by late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, the school is operated by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. It also trains partners, supports them after placement and cares for retired dogs, with volunteers helping sustain the program. Legal reforms have strengthened guide dog users’ access to public transportation and other facilities, with further regulations introduced in April 2025.
Key Facts
- The school became a full member of the International Guide Dog Federation in 1999 and hosted the federation’s general assembly in Korea in 2002.
- About 2,930 households have taken part in activities including raising puppies for about a year and caring for breeding and retired dogs.
- Trainers have walked an estimated 890,000 kilometers with dogs in training over 33 years, equivalent to circling the Earth more than 22 times.
- Regulations introduced in April 2025 clarified the circumstances in which facilities may restrict guide dog access.
- The school’s operations are fully funded by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance.
Late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee is seen with a guide dog in this undated photo. Courtesy of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance
Samsung Guide Dog School, which marks its 33rd anniversary this year, is Korea’s first guide dog training institution and the world’s only guide dog school operated by a single corporation, with its operations fully funded by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance.
The school was established in September 1993 by late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee as part of efforts to foster greater understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities. At the time, corporate involvement in guide dog training was unprecedented worldwide.
The school became a full member of the International Guide Dog Federation in 1999 and went on to host the organization's general assembly in Korea in 2002. Lee was also honored by the federation that year for his efforts to raise awareness of people with disabilities.
Since its first guide dog, Bada, was paired with a visually impaired person in 1994, the school has provided more than 320 guide dogs to visually impaired partners free of charge.
Its responsibilities extend beyond raising and training guide dogs. The school also teaches visually impaired partners how to work with their dogs, provides ongoing support after placement and oversees care for retired dogs, offering assistance throughout the dogs' lives.
Volunteers have played a central role in sustaining the program. Some 2,930 households have participated in various activities, including puppy walking, in which families raise young dogs for about a year to familiarize them with everyday environments, as well as caring for breeding dogs and retired guide dogs.
The scale of the effort is reflected in the distance covered by the school's trainers. Over 33 years, they have walked an estimated 890,000 kilometers with guide dogs in training, equivalent to circling the Earth more than 22 times.
The school's history also reflects broader changes in Korean society's attitudes toward people with disabilities and their right to move freely.
In the 1990s, guide dog users often faced difficulties even when trying to board public transportation. Over time, legal reforms strengthened their access rights, prohibiting restaurants, hotels, public transportation operators and other facilities from denying entry to guide dogs without legitimate grounds.
Regulations introduced in April 2025 further clarified the circumstances under which such restrictions are permitted.
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