Gabriel and Lydia Teo, a Taiwanese couple, spent two weeks traveling across South Korea in February with their seven-year-old Maltipoo, Olive. After arriving at Incheon International Airport, they took Olive in a pet carrier on high-speed KTX trains, visiting Seoul, Busan, Pyeongchang, and Gyeongju.

“In Pyeongchang, Olive loved warming her snow-covered paws on the heated floors of our traditional lodging,” the couple said. “In Gyeongju, we even stayed in a hanok where pets could join their owners in the bathtub.”

In this March 2025 photo, Gabriel and Lydia Teo from Taiwan pose with their dog, Olive, in Gyeongju’s Hanok Village./Gabriel and Lydia Teo

More foreign tourists are bringing their pets to South Korea, drawn by the country’s expanding pet-friendly infrastructure. The number of pets entering South Korea with international travelers surged 56.3% in two years, rising from 9,185 in 2022 to 14,356 in 2024, according to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency.

Airlines have introduced pet transport services, while hotels, cafes, and shopping malls are actively marketing pet-friendly amenities to attract visitors.

Many foreign travelers say they are impressed by South Korea’s pet culture. Tiffany Cheng, a 28-year-old graduate student from Germany, visited the country for six days last year with her Maltese, Tofu. During her stay, she dressed Tofu in a matching hanbok for a photo session in Bukchon Hanok Village and explored pet-friendly locations such as Starfield Library in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam district.

In this photo, Tiffany Cheng, a graduate student from Germany, poses with her dog, Tofu, in Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village. Both are dressed in matching hanbok./Tiffany Cheng

South Korea’s growing pet industry has drawn international attention. The New York Times reported in October that the boom in pet services has reshaped the country’s urban landscape. “Hospitals and shops catering to pets have become ubiquitous, while childbirth clinics have all but disappeared, as South Korea’s birthrate has become the lowest in the world,” the article noted, adding that online retailers now sell more baby strollers for pets than for infants. The report also highlighted the rise of pet daycare centers and funeral services in the country.

Lisa Marie York, a 39-year-old from New York, plans to visit South Korea next month with her Yorkshire Terrier, Emily.

“I was looking for an Asian country that allows pet travel, and I found that South Korea not only has pet-friendly accommodations but also a well-developed pet culture,” she said.

A Korea Tourism Organization official said international awareness of South Korea’s pet-friendly hotels, restaurants, and cafes is steadily growing.