Choo Miae Visits Nami Island to Find Effective Ways to Stop the Spread of Pine Wilt Disease

Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae visited Nami Island early in the morning on the 9th to see its efforts to control pine wilt disease, which are said to be effective.

That day, Choo wrote on social media: "Expecting holiday traffic congestion and crowds, I left Suwon in the dark before dawn and arrived at the island, which was still shrouded in morning fog. I would like to thank the Nami Island officials and others who kindly cooperated early this morning, even though they were contacted last night about my urgent visit to the site."

She continued: "I understand that Nami Island is using the basic preventive chemicals recommended by the Korea Forest Service and has also inoculated trees with a fungus that is a natural enemy of the pine wilt nematode. Unlike dense stands made up solely of conifers, this area also has broadleaf trees, which appears to contribute to good ecological stability. The island's separation from its surroundings may also have helped control the spread of the disease."

A post shared on social media by Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae on the 9th.

Choo added, however: "It is difficult to determine easily which control measures are effective. Longhorn beetles prefer Korean pine to other pine trees, so infections in Korean pine are far more severe."

She said in particular: "Out of consideration for the anguish of people in the forestry industry who have spent many years tending each Korean pine, I will consult with the central government and seek a solution as soon as possible. If Gapyeong falls, the disease will spread to Gangwon Province, so it seems we are running out of time."

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