SEOUL - South Korea has confirmed its fifth case of African swine fever (ASF) this year, with the latest outbreak occurring at a farm in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province.
According to Yonhap News Agency, The affected farm, located approximately 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul, reported several pig deaths before the disease was confirmed by local quarantine authorities. This marks the first ASF case in the region since a previous report on June 15 from a nearby town. Following the confirmation, a 24-hour standstill order was issued for pig farms and related facilities in Andong and adjacent areas to prevent further spread of the disease.
Quarantine officials are now implementing rigorous measures, planning to disinfect 181 pig farms in the vicinity and conduct clinical tests on other farms visited by a vehicle linked to the affected farm. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has called for emergency actions and cooperation across various ministries and regional authorities to control the disease, which is deadly to pigs but not harmful to humans. Despite the outbreak, the farm ministry has indicated that only a limited number of pigs will be culled, expecting minimal impact on the domestic pork market.