Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the articles highlights the increasing importance of "pet policies" in the context of South Korea's aging population and rising single-person households, with candidates leveraging these policies to gain voter support [1][2] - As of 2024, 28.6% of households in South Korea are expected to own pets, translating to approximately 6.5 million households, indicating a shift towards a "pet family era" [1] - The average cost of a single pet medical treatment is reported to be 84,000 KRW (approximately 438 RMB), with 82.9% of respondents in a survey indicating that such expenses are burdensome [1] Group 2 - Candidate Lee Jae-myung from the Democratic Party proposes to create an "Animal Welfare Nation" by establishing a basic animal welfare law and integrating related affairs currently spread across multiple departments [2] - Candidate Kim Moon-soo from the People Power Party focuses on a practical approach, advocating for reduced treatment costs and increased price transparency by standardizing all services in animal hospitals [4] - Both candidates' commitments to pet policies have sparked controversy, with animal protection organizations expressing concerns about the feasibility of standardizing treatment due to the diversity of animal species and individual differences [4]