Walking a dog in Korea comes with three rules set in law — lead, ID tag, droppings — and one that comes before them: registration. The Animal Protection Act sets all four, its Enforcement Rule fixes even the length of the lead, and an annex of the Decree lists the fines for first, second and third offences. We read all three as written.
1. Dogs over 2 months must be registered within 30 days. Dogs 2 months or older kept in a home (house or quasi-house) or as companions elsewhere are covered, and failing to register is fined 200,000, 400,000 and 600,000 won.
2. The lead must be 2 metres or shorter. A harness or a lockable carrier also qualifies, and in shared indoor spaces such as apartment lifts and stairs you must hold the dog or grip the lead near the collar. Breaches are fined 200,000, 300,000 and 500,000 won.
3. ID tags and droppings start at 50,000 won. No tag: 50,000, 100,000 and 200,000 won; droppings left: 50,000, 70,000 and 100,000 won.
Registration — who, and by when
Article 4 of the Decree defines the animals that must be registered. All of them are dogs.
- Dogs 2 months or older kept in a house or quasi-house under the Housing Act
- Dogs 2 months or older kept as companions anywhere else
- Dogs 12 months or older kept by licensed breeders at their premises (2 months, as in the first line, where the premises is a detached house)
The deadline is in Decree article 10(1): within 30 days of acquiring the dog or of the day it reaches the registration age, apply to the city, county or district office. The office assigns a registration number, fits a radio-frequency identification device and issues a registration certificate (paragraph 3).
The proviso to Act article 15(1) lets provinces exempt areas set by ordinance, except for dangerous breeds. Ask your city, county or district whether you live in one.
After registering — 10 days and 30 days
Act article 15(2) and (3) set reporting deadlines: 10 days if the dog is lost, 30 days if registered details change, and 30 days for anyone who takes over a registered dog. Decree article 11 lists nine changes — a new owner; a change in the owner’s name, registration number, address or phone number; finding the dog after reporting it lost; no longer keeping it in Korea; its death; and a faulty or lost ID device. Moving house or changing your number counts.
Three rules for walks — Act article 16(2)
Animal Protection Act, article 16 (management of animals subject to registration) (2) When going out with an animal subject to registration, the owner or keeper shall: 1. take safety measures such as a lead meeting the standard set by ordinance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs …; 2. attach an ID tag showing the animal’s name, the owner’s contact details and other matters set by that ordinance …; 3. remove droppings immediately (for urine, limited to shared indoor spaces of multi-unit housing such as lifts and stairs, and to furniture people lie or sit on, such as platforms and benches).
Article 11 of the Rule fills in the standard for item 1.
- A lead or harness 2 metres or shorter, or a carrier with a lock the dog cannot escape from. A dog under 3 months carried in your arms needs none of these.
- In the shared indoor spaces of multi-occupancy houses, multi-household houses, multi-unit housing and quasi-houses, hold the dog, or grip the lead at the collar end or the harness at its handle, to restrict its movement.
Article 12 of the Rule sets the “other matters” for item 2 as the registration number (for registered dogs). The tag carries name, owner contact and registration number.
Fines — first, second, third and later
| Violation | First | Second · third or later |
|---|---|---|
| Not registering (art. 15(1)) | 200,000 won | 400,000 · 600,000 won |
| Missing the loss or change deadline (art. 15(2)) | 100,000 won | 200,000 · 400,000 won |
| Not reporting a takeover within 30 days (art. 15(3)) | 100,000 won | 200,000 · 400,000 won |
| Letting the dog leave home unattended (art. 16(1)) | 200,000 won | 300,000 · 500,000 won |
| No lead or other safety measure (art. 16(2)1) | 200,000 won | 300,000 · 500,000 won |
| No ID tag (art. 16(2)2) | 50,000 won | 100,000 · 200,000 won |
| Droppings not removed (art. 16(2)3) | 50,000 won | 70,000 · 100,000 won |
These are the individual standards in Annex 4 of the Decree. The general standards apply higher tiers only for the same violation within the last 2 years, and allow a reduction of up to one half in circumstances such as disasters (not for those in arrears). Dangerous breeds have separate provisions and higher amounts (from 1,000,000 won for a first offence) and are left out of this table.
Checklist — before you leave home
- ☐ Registered? — 30 days from reaching 2 months
- ☐ Lead 2 metres or shorter (check how far a retractable lead extends)
- ☐ In lifts and corridors, hold the dog or grip near the collar
- ☐ Tag with name, contact and registration number
- ☐ Poo bags — and clean up urine too in shared spaces or on benches
- ☐ Moved or changed number? — report within 30 days
Questions that remain
Do cats have to be registered?
Decree article 4 covers dogs only. Cats are not among the animals this provision makes registration mandatory for.
Are retractable leads allowed?
The standard is “a lead or harness 2 metres or shorter.” It is the length, not the type, that counts, so a retractable lead fits the wording if it is not let out beyond 2 metres.
Is barking or noise fined too?
Not in this table. Noise standards in multi-unit housing are covered in noise between floors.
Sources
- Animal Protection Act [in force 7 Jul 2026] [Act No. 21839] — original text (checked 29 September 2026). Source for article 15 (registration, 10 and 30 days, exempt areas) and article 16 (three rules when out).
- Enforcement Decree of the Animal Protection Act [in force 3 Jun 2026] [Presidential Decree No. 35570] — original text. Source for article 4 (covered dogs, 2 and 12 months), article 10 (30 days, ID device), article 11 (nine changes) and Annex 4, standards for fines.
- Enforcement Rule of the Animal Protection Act [in force 3 Jun 2026] [Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ordinance No. 731] — original text. Source for article 11 (2 metres, 3 months, shared spaces) and article 12 (registration number).
Where to check further
- Registration and change reports — your city, county or district office, or a registration agent it has designated (Act article 15(4)).
- Whether your area is exempt — the responsible department of your local government.
Written on 29 September 2026. Articles and annexes are from the National Law Information Center; the table layout is ours.
