South Korea confirmed its first case of African swine fever (ASF) in about two months on January 17, leading authorities to implement emergency measures including the culling of thousands of pigs. The outbreak was detected at a farm in Gangneung, a city located approximately 170 kilometers east of Seoul in Gangwon Province.
According to the provincial government, 29 out of 32 pigs that died at the facility on January 16 tested positive for ASF. While the virus is fatal to pigs, it poses no harm to humans. This new outbreak marks the first confirmed case of ASF in South Korea since November, when an earlier incident occurred in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province.
To contain the virus and prevent further spread, the South Korean government ordered the culling of 20,000 pigs at the affected farm. A 48-hour standstill order was also imposed on pig farms in six neighboring cities and counties to restrict the movement of pigs and reduce the risk of transmission.
In response to the outbreak, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok called for immediate containment measures. These included restricting access to the affected farm and carrying out the culling operations swiftly. Additionally, Prime Minister Kim emphasized the importance of a comprehensive epidemiological investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak and prevent future occurrences.
