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South Korea Reports First African Swine Fever Case in Two Months, Culls Thousands

South Korea has confirmed its first case of African swine fever in approximately two months, detected at a farm in Gangneung. Authorities have culled 20,000 pigs at the affected facility and imposed a 48-hour standstill order for farms in six nearby cities and counties. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok ordered emergency containment measures and called for a thorough epidemiological investigation. This follows a previous outbreak in November in Dangjin, which raised concerns due to the region's large swine farming capacity.

Key Points: South Korea Confirms African Swine Fever, Orders Pig Cull

  • First ASF case in two months
  • 20,000 pigs culled at affected farm
  • 48-hour standstill order issued
  • Virus fatal to pigs, harmless to humans
  • Outbreak detected in Gangneung
2 min read

South Korea reports 1st African swine fever case in 2 months

South Korea confirms first African swine fever case in two months, leading to the culling of thousands of pigs and a regional standstill order.

"Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has ordered emergency containment measures - Yonhap report"

Seoul, Jan 17

South Korea on Saturday confirmed its first case of African swine fever in about two months, prompting authorities to cull thousands of pigs and issue a standstill order to prevent the virus from spreading.

According to the provincial government, the outbreak was detected at a farm in Gangneung, about 170 kilometres east of Seoul in Gangwon Province, Yonhap news agency reported.

Authorities said 29 of 32 pigs that died at the facility on Friday tested positive for the virus, which is fatal to pigs but harmless to humans.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has ordered emergency containment measures, including restricting access to the site and culling operations, after receiving a report on the new case.

Kim also stressed the need for a thorough epidemiological investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak.

It is the first confirmed case in the country since November, when an outbreak was reported in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province.

To prevent the spread, officials culled 20,000 pigs at the affected farm and issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms in six adjacent cities and counties.

In November last year, the country confirmed its sixth ASF case of the year.

The case was reported at a pig farm in the city of Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province, which raises 463 pigs, Yonhap reported. It has the largest swine farming capacity in the country, making the situation far more serious and raising the risk of a nationwide spread.

The government culled 1,423 pigs from the affected farm and other nearby farms operated by the same owner and issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms and related facilities nationwide, the officials said.

All of the previous five cases of 2025 were reported in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So sad for the farmers. Culling 20,000 pigs is devastating for their livelihood. The economic impact must be huge. Our government should learn from their rapid response though – the 48-hour standstill order seems crucial.
R
Rohit P
First in two months and they jump to cull thousands. Seems like an overreaction? Could there be a better way than mass culling? Still, better safe than sorry I guess. 🐖
S
Sarah B
Reading this from an Indian perspective, it highlights the importance of food security. A disease like this can disrupt supply chains and affect prices globally. Our agencies like ICAR need to monitor such outbreaks closely.
V
Vikram M
The article says it's harmless to humans, but the economic and social harm is real. In India, where many depend on small-scale animal husbandry, a single outbreak could ruin families. Strict import checks on livestock products are a must!
K
Karthik V
Good to see the Prime Minister himself ordering emergency measures. Shows they take it seriously. In our country, sometimes the response is too slow by the time it reaches the top. Speed is everything with viruses.

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