Nearly 30% of South Koreans owned pets in 2024, but many were left alone for long hours, according to KB Financial Group’s Korea Pet Report, released on June 29.
The report found that 15.46 million people, or 29.9% of the population, lived with pets. Pet-owning households totaled 5.91 million, or 26.7% of all households nationwide ? up 1.1% from 2023. Among those households, 80.1% left their pets home alone during the day, with an average absence of 5 hours and 54 minutes.
Pet-related costs are also rising. In 2024, households spent an average of 194,000 won per month on their pets, a 26% increase from the previous year. The largest expenses were food, treats, hygiene products, and grooming.
Veterinary costs have surged as well. Over the past two years, 70.2% of pet owners paid medical bills averaging 1.027 million won ? nearly double the amount in 2023.
Despite rising costs, 76% of pet owners reported satisfaction with owning pets, with 74.2% saying they plan to continue doing so. However, only 49.4% would recommend it to others, citing travel difficulties and high expenses associated with pets.
Maltese and poodles were the most popular dog breeds, while Korean Shorthairs topped the cat list.