Korea will standardize microchip identification tags for pets within this year for full-scale use starting in 2009, the government said Wednesday (Feb. 13).

The new radio frequency identification (RFID) tag system is designed to quickly identify pet owners, check the health of the animals and trace their pedigree, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (ATS) said. It can also help the government maintain better pet control by locating owners and preventing the sale of sick animals.

The agency under the Ministry of Commerce, industry and Energy said the tags are to used for dogs first, and will be expanded to cats and livestock if the system for dogs is successful.

The RFID tags are to be introduced in line with the country’s animal protection law that went into effect in late January.     

The ATS said efforts are being taken in the first half of this year to unify the RFID tags that will be embedded in the skin of pets and the serial numbers for the tags.

"Each local government will be responsible for tagging the pets, but it is the role of the ATS to set centralized standards," a official for the organization said. He added Korea is 2-3 years behind countries like the United States, Japan and European Union member states in the introduction of microchip identification tags.

He also said the city of Seoul plans to conduct limited tagging in the second half of this year and mandatory registration in April 2009.

The official said other local administrations are expected to follow suit, and dog owners who do not register their pets will be fined.

The RFID tags, 8mm long and 2mm in diameter, can be injected into the skin of animals by a special syringe.

They will contain general details about the animal, the owners and contact information.