Choo Mi-ae Inspects Pine Wilt Disease Prevention Measures at Osan Mulhyanggi Arboretum

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae has ordered the establishment of containment lines to prevent the spread of pine wilt disease and directed the promotion of research and administration of preventive vaccines.

On October 7, Governor Choo visited the Osan Mulhyanggi Arboretum to inspect the current status of the pine wilt disease diagnosis and control research conducted by the Gyeonggi Forest Environment Research Center. She also received reports on the disease outbreak and response systems in the province.

This visit was a follow-up measure to the governor’s instructions on October 5 to form a dedicated task force (TF) and establish a broad-scale response system to contain the spread of pine wilt disease.

On the day of the visit, Kim Il-gon, Head of the Gyeonggi Province Forest and Greenery Division, reported on the necessity of developing preventive vaccines, the progress of drone control operations in cooperation with the Korea Forest Service, and early prediction initiatives utilizing satellites in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

Governor Choo emphasized, “Set containment boundaries to ensure the disease does not spread further, and, if necessary, maintain sufficient distances. Please continue to utilize relevant data, including climate satellite data, for ongoing research into disease control.”

She added, “Climate crises are expected to worsen, making it unrealistic to aim for complete eradication. Set the completion of vaccinations as the primary goal, and proactively implement research and preliminary studies on preventive vaccines and appropriate vaccination scale.”

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae visited Osan Mulhyanggi Arboretum on the 7th to inspect the pine wilt disease pest control and toured the site with officials. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

Pine wilt disease was first identified in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, in 2006. As of September this year, it has spread to Osan following outbreaks in Siheung and Guri; currently, the disease is present in 25 cities and counties across the province. The number of damaged and dead trees has reached 116,665, marking a 67.8% increase over the past year.

The Gyeonggi Forest Environment Research Center is diagnosing trees suspected of infection, which are submitted by 31 cities and counties. In addition, it is conducting research to minimize the impact of control chemicals on pollinators such as honeybees and developing vector pest control methods using gene interference technology.

Within this month, Gyeonggi Province plans to form a dedicated task force and, by the end of the year, establish a five-year broad-scale disease control strategy aligned with the national control plan. The province also aims to set up joint monitoring and collaborative prevention systems together with Seoul, Gangwon Province, and other neighboring regions in the capital area.

On the same day, Governor Choo also inspected the safety management at high-risk on-site workplaces such as areas undergoing mowing and logging activities and urged, “As recreational forests are frequented by provincial residents, I hope thorough safety inspections are carried out.”

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