Interior Ministry Inspects African Swine Fever Quarantine... "Showing Different Patterns from Previous Years"

Emphasis on Eradicating Illegal Sales of Imported Livestock Products
Building Cooperative Systems with Local Governments...All-Out Quarantine Efforts

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety conducted an emergency review on the 20th of the quarantine situation for African Swine Fever (ASF), which has been showing signs of nationwide spread.

This year, African Swine Fever has been occurring one after another in areas with no previous history of outbreaks, such as Anseong City in Gyeonggi Province and Yeonggwang County in South Jeolla Province.

Kim Gwangyong, Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (left), is presiding over an African swine fever prevention status review and expert advisory meeting on the 20th at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in Government Complex-Sejong, reviewing quarantine measures and examining factors behind the outbreaks. Photo provided by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In particular, as it has been confirmed that the detected virus is a different genotype from the existing one derived from wild boars in Korea, even more thorough quarantine management is required.

At the meeting that day, participants reviewed the nationwide disinfection efforts carried out across the country before and after the Lunar New Year holiday period and examined the testing and monitoring system to block the spread of African Swine Fever.

Quarantine experts stressed the need to promptly block external risk factors by strengthening education and publicity for foreign workers and eradicating the bringing in, distribution, and sale of illegally imported livestock products.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety requested that each local government, with its Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters at the center, establish a close cooperation system with the police, military units, and agricultural and livestock cooperatives, and make every effort in on-site quarantine.

Kim Gwangyong, Director General of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, said, "The government, together with relevant agencies, will work to swiftly block risk factors for the spread of African Swine Fever so that there are no gaps in quarantine management."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.