Gangneung Beaches Face Controversy Over Inconsistent Pet Policies

Controversy is heating up over whether dogs are allowed on beaches after the official swimming season has ended.

The controversy began recently when a post was uploaded on social media stating, "I went to Gangmun Beach and got chased away by a safety guard."

The poster wrote, "I called the Gangneung City government to ask, and they said that due to reasons like dog bite accidents, dogs are not allowed on the beach at any time, not just during the official beach opening season."

This post garnered massive views as well as hundreds of critical comments.

Comments included criticisms such as, "Are they going to chase away all the seagulls and pigeons?", "I want to ask if Gangneung is really a pet-friendly city as claimed," "The bigger problem is the flip-flopping policy where answers change depending on who picks up the phone," "Guess I won't be visiting Gangneung then," and "With a pet dog population of 10 million."

In response, some citizens corrected the facts, saying, "That is completely groundless. I took a walk on the beach with my dog just the other day," and "I also checked with the city hall, and you can freely take a walk with your dog anywhere on Gangneung's beaches."

Another citizen also stated, "I inquired with the Gangneung City Tourism Policy Division and received an answer that companion dogs are allowed except during the beach opening season."

Beaches in the Gangneung area, including Gyeongpo, closed on August 17.

Regarding this, an official from Gangneung City stated, "Outside of the beach opening season, companion dogs are allowed to enter the sandy beaches and seawater."

The city has begun actively promoting these related regulations through social media and other channels.

However, the user compliance rules (total of 9 items) on the sign installed at Gyeongpo Beach's sandy shore include a rule prohibiting the entry of companion animals such as dogs and cats at the very end.

There are no clear details regarding the specific hours or periods for this restriction.

(File Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.