From now on, the entry of service dogs for disabled individuals will be permitted in most facilities, excluding medical institutions and restaurant cooking facilities. A fine of 3 million won will be imposed for blocking the entry of service dogs in places that are not designated exceptions.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 22nd that a partial revision of the 'Enforcement Ordinance and Enforcement Rules of the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act' containing this information will take effect from the 23rd.
Under the current Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act, disabled individuals accompanied by service dogs should not be denied access to public transport, public places, or accommodation facilities without just cause. However, there were no clear regulations regarding what constitutes 'just cause.'
Through this enforcement rule, just cause has been clarified. It includes places where infection control is necessary, such as sterile rooms or operating rooms in medical institutions, as well as kitchens in collective dining facilities and restaurants where hygiene management is required. Denying entry to service dogs in these facilities will not be considered just cause.
Son Ho-jun, director of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Disability Policy Bureau, said, “I will request cooperation from related ministries such as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to prevent cases of denying entry to service dogs for disabled individuals.”