Seoul council environment chief attends pet sports festival, pledges support for animal welfare

Lee Min-seok, chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Council's Environment and Water Resources Committee (People Power Party), visited a festival bringing together pet owners and citizens, pledging continued support for the spread of a mature pet culture and the promotion of animal welfare.

Lee attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 Seoul Petlympics — the second dog sports competition — held Saturday at Peace Plaza in World Cup Park, Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, where he encouraged participants and event organizers.

The two-day event, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and held Saturday through Sunday, drew about 5,000 citizens and their dogs. The festival featured a range of dog sports programs — including agility, frisbee, flyball and dog dancing — in which dogs and their owners competed and performed together.

In his congratulatory remarks, Lee said the festival held special meaning as a place where pets and their owners could challenge themselves and bond with each other.

He then toured the venue, encouraging staff from the Seoul Metropolitan Animal Welfare Support Center and other animal protection and welfare organizations, before watching an agility competition in which dogs and their owners navigated obstacle courses.

Lee said pet culture must go beyond leisure to embrace respect for life and responsible care. With the number of pet owners growing, he said, creating an environment where people and animals can coexist harmoniously is increasingly important.

"Dog sports is not simply a competition to test a dog's skills — it is a festival where owners and their dogs come to understand each other and build trust," Lee said. "I hope the joy of sharing life with a pet extends to caring for animals in need. We will work to foster a mature pet culture and create an animal-friendly environment so that people and animals can live together in health and happiness."