The National Seoul Cemetery in Dongjak District, Seoul, and the cemetery in Daejeon have become popular walking paths where visitors can enjoy lush greenery in the city. However, on the other hand, some pets brought along are barking loudly and even urinating on gravestones while their owners walk around, claiming they are enjoying a stroll along with the fallen patriots. Some visitors even set up tents and rest in the shade as if it were a park. Complaints keep coming in, but the cemetery officials noted, 'It's difficult to manage, as the area is large but there are not enough staff.'
Around 10 a.m. on the 5th, a person among a group of pedestrians dressed lightly and walking through the National Seoul Cemetery in Dongjak District, Seoul, said, 'It's such nice weather for a walk.' His companions chimed in, 'It's nice in spring and fall when the flowers are blooming. It's a great spot for walking.' An elderly man was seen walking quickly inside the cemetery while blasting trot music from a speaker. There were also visitors lying on benches under the trees watching videos on their mobile phones.
Since this day was the day before Memorial Day, preparations for the event were underway, leading to a relatively small crowd for walking. Last year, the number of visitors to the National Seoul Cemetery reached 2.17 million, doubling from 1.02 million in 2020. Mr. A, a staff member responsible for cleaning at the National Seoul Cemetery, stated, 'Sometimes people sneak their pets in their cars.'
Similar incidents are occurring at the National Daejeon Cemetery in Gapdong, Yuseong District. On the 27th of last month, an internet user posted on the Daejeon Cemetery's bulletin board that 'there were people setting up tents and resting in the shade like they were camping over the weekend. Today, I saw someone walking on the trail with a pet dog,' and requested enhanced management.
On the 18th of last month, a post titled 'Please prohibit pets on the walking trail' was uploaded. The author noted, 'A woman was walking with her dog on a leash that was more than 2 meters long,' and requested, 'Please enforce strict regulations on this behavior.'
An internet user posted in February of last year about visiting the National Daejeon Cemetery to pay respects to his parents, saying, 'While leaving after paying respects, I saw someone bringing a dog to the cemetery.' They added, 'The dog urinated on the gravestone of someone nearby. This is shocking.' There are also posts asking for enforcement against visitors who smoke and leave cigarette butts carelessly on the ground inside the cemetery.
The Ministry of Veterans Affairs prohibits the setting up of tents or entering with pets at the cemetery. The National Seoul Cemetery stated in an announcement posted on its website, 'Activities such as drinking, partying, smoking inside, bringing pets, littering, and washing cars are strictly prohibited, and please refrain from setting up canopies and tents.'
However, it is practically difficult to stop people from walking their dogs in the expansive cemetery. The National Seoul Cemetery covers an area of 1.44 million square meters (approximately 440,000 pyeong), while the National Daejeon Cemetery spans 3.22 million square meters (approximately 970,000 pyeong). Actor Choi Min-soo and his wife Kang Joo-eun sparked controversy after posting photos of themselves walking their dog at the National Seoul Cemetery in August 2023. Kang later clarified that she did not know about the controversy and posted, 'I hope couples like us don't make the same mistake.'
There are also concerns that citizens are forgetting the significance of the cemetery and viewing it as a sparsely populated park. An internet user posted a question on the Daejeon Cemetery's bulletin board last August, asking, 'Can I fly a toy drone in the cemetery with my child?' Ms. Jang (78), whose husband is buried at the National Seoul Cemetery, commented, 'This place is where we honor those who died for the country in times of crisis, and bringing dogs here is unacceptable.'