Busan is good

Enjoy City Park Lawns with Your Pet Dog!

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Mayor Park Heong-joon of Busan announced that, starting from June through October, designated lawn areas in major urban parks across the city will be opened on a trial basis for use by citizens accompanied by their pet dogs.

This pilot initiative is a response to the growing social trend of pet ownership—now exceeding 30% of households nationwide—and to the increasing need for transforming parks from limited green spaces into shared public environments.

While lawn access was previously restricted, the City is now promoting open park culture based on autonomy and responsibility by allowing limited access to certain lawn sections.

The pilot areas will be launched in representative parks located in high-demand districts, with allowance for citizens to bring portable shade tents, chairs, and mats under the condition that they are removed after use.

To ensure a safe and pleasant environment, leashes will be mandatory, pet waste must be cleaned up, and shade structures must be placed in locations that do not inconvenience other users.

Specific park zones, operation formats, and detailed guidelines will be determined autonomously by the 16 participating districts and the Busan Facilities Corporation. The City will provide basic operational guidelines and oversee performance monitoring and evaluation.

Each park will post clearly marked areas separating pet-friendly zones from general public use zones, with adjustments made throughout the pilot period based on real-time feedback.

Ahn Cheol-soo, Director of the Green City Bureau of Busan, stated,

“This pilot program will be a meaningful opportunity to assess the maturity of citizens’ self-managed public behavior.
We aim to foster a culture of mutual respect and coexistence between pet owners and non-pet owners, and we will decide on potential expansion of the program based on its outcomes.”

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Attachment: Pilot Program Overview

Background:

• ●Over 30% of Korean households own pets, and outdoor activity demand with dogs is steadily increasing.

• ●There is a growing need to shift from the closed-off concept of "no lawn access" to viewing parks as shared community spaces.

• ●Open park culture based on autonomy and responsibility is increasingly important.

• ●Similar pilot programs are spreading in cities like Seoul, Suwon, and Sejong.

Implementation Guidelines:

• ●Partial or full opening of park lawns to allow joint use by citizens and dogs

• ●Citizens encouraged to voluntarily manage facilities (leashes, waste cleanup, muzzles, shade items, etc.)

• ●Aimed at building a coexistence-based culture between pet owners and non-owners

Operational Guidelines (Flexible by Park):

• ●Target Parks: Major green spaces like Citizens Park

• ●Operating Period: June to October 2025, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM

• ●Accessible Areas: Only designated lawn zones

• ●Allowed Items: Temporary canopies, chairs, mats (must be removed after use)

• ●User Rules: Leash required, waste cleanup mandatory, all equipment must be cleared after use

• ●Operation Methods: Campaigns, signboards, and patrols by volunteers to accompany park operations