What are the microchipping and vaccination requirements for pets in Korea, and how do I keep my pet compliant with the law?

Korea has a mandatory pet registration system (동물등록제) for dogs. Any dog over two months old kept as a companion must be registered, either with an implanted microchip or an external registration tag, done at your district office (구청) or, most conveniently, at a registered animal hospital that offers the service. Registration ties the dog to you in a national database, which is what helps reunite lost pets. Cat registration is currently voluntary in many districts, though microchipping a cat is still a good idea.

On vaccinations, rabies is the key legal one, and many districts run low-cost or subsidized rabies vaccination periods each year. Beyond that, vets recommend the standard core vaccines (the DHPPL series for dogs, FVRCP for cats) with regular boosters, and you get a vaccination record card. To stay compliant, register your dog, keep the microchip and your contact details updated if you move or change your phone number, and keep rabies vaccination current. If you ever plan to fly abroad with your pet, that microchip and a complete vaccination record are also required for export paperwork, so keeping everything current from the start saves trouble later. Your local vet is the easiest one-stop place to handle registration, microchipping, and vaccines together.