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Busan, Happier Together: 2026 Pet-Friendly Partners Day to Be Held

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Chun Jae-soo) and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency announced that they will jointly host the "2026 Pet-Friendly Partners Day: Happier Together" at Illow in Gijang-gun, the first business certified as a Busan Pet-Friendly Space in 2026, at 1:40 p.m. today (October 15).

Approximately 30 participants, including Mayor Chun Jae-soo and representatives of certified pet-friendly businesses, will attend the event, which will feature a Busan Pet-Friendly Space certification ceremony and an interactive roundtable meeting to facilitate direct communication with businesses.

The event will be jointly organized by Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency. It will begin with the presentation of certificates to businesses selected as Busan Pet-Friendly Spaces, followed by a roundtable meeting. This Pet-Friendly Space certification program is the first of its kind among local governments nationwide.

Busan Metropolitan City has established a foundation for developing the local pet industry through existing support programs for startups, research and development (R&D), and market expansion. Building on these efforts, the city plans to establish pet-related services, including accommodations, restaurants, grooming, and pet care, as a distinctive Busan brand through the Pet-Friendly Space program, introduced for the first time this year, thereby generating new demand in the industry.

The Busan Pet-Friendly Space certification program selected businesses with outstanding hygiene and safety standards from among local pet service establishments, including restaurants, accommodations, grooming salons, and pet boarding and care facilities.

The ten selected businesses were finalized following a rigorous evaluation of hygiene, safety, operations, global service capabilities, and other criteria. They comprise three pet-friendly restaurants, two pet-friendly accommodations, two grooming salons, and three pet boarding and care facilities.

The three pet-friendly restaurants are Illow (Gijang-gun), Pause Dog (Nam-gu), and Frutery Forest (Haeundae-gu). The two pet-friendly accommodations are SIGNIEL BUSAN (Haeundae-gu) and Youngmu Parade Hotel (Haeundae-gu). The two grooming salons are Labu (Suyeong-gu) and Premium Pet Salon Soun (Suyeong-gu). The three pet boarding and care facilities are La Mercio (Haeundae-gu), Big Paw Club (Busanjin-gu), and With Walwal (Dongnae-gu).

The selection process began with a public call for applications in July this year, with experts in relevant fields participating in the evaluation. In August, the ten highest-scoring businesses were selected based on five key evaluation criteria and other considerations.

The five key criteria were mandatory requirements (possession of legally required permits and licenses), hygiene (systematic management practices, including disinfection of business premises), safety (accident prevention and emergency response capabilities), operations (dedicated personnel and customer service standards), and Busan-specific features (multilingual services and pet-friendly content).

Selected businesses will receive a certificate issued in the name of the Mayor of Busan Metropolitan City and an official certification plaque. They will also benefit from tailored capacity-building programs and promotional support for certified businesses. The certification will remain valid for three years from the date of selection.

A total of KRW 9 million will be provided to support facility improvements, capacity building, and promotional activities for the selected businesses. Additional support, including joint publicity campaigns and promotions for certified businesses, is also planned for the second and third years following selection.

Following the certification ceremony, a Partners Roundtable Meeting will provide an opportunity to hear directly from certified businesses and engage in dialogue. Through this exchange, the city plans to work collaboratively with businesses to develop policies that foster the growth of the pet industry.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo stated, "The world is now turning its attention to the vast blue ocean of opportunities known as the pet economy." He added, "I hope the businesses certified under the Busan Pet-Friendly Space program will establish themselves as leading players that bring new vitality to the local economy and drive the growth of the pet economy."