Gapyeong County Seeks More National Funding for Pine Wilt Control: "Raise Subsidy Rate to 70%"

Korea Forest Service Chief Park Eunsik Inspects Pest-Control Site in Ihwa-ri
Calls for Expansion of Dedicated Teams and Staffing

Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi Province has asked the Korea Forest Service to raise the national subsidy rate for pest-control projects from the current 50% to 70% to counter the spread of pine wilt disease.

Gapyeong County Governor Seo Taewon (front row, center) and Korea Forest Service Chief Park Eunsik (right) inspect progress on a pine wilt disease control project involving the conversion of affected tree species during an emergency visit to the site in Gapyeong on the 23rd. Provided by Gapyeong County.

Gapyeong County said Park Eunsik, chief of the Korea Forest Service, visited the site of a pest-control project involving tree species conversion in Ihwa-ri, Gapyeong-eup, on October 23 to review its progress and discuss measures to prevent the spread of damage.

About 30 people attended the inspection, including Chief Park, Gapyeong County Governor Seo Taewon, and officials from related organizations such as the Northern Regional Office of the Korea Forest Service, Gyeonggi Province, and the Korea Forest Disaster Safety Technology Corporation. Participants shared information on the damage caused by pine wilt disease and control efforts in Gapyeong, and reviewed progress on the tree species conversion project.

The Ihwa-ri control site covers 3 hectares, and the project is replacing the species of 2,336 Korean pine trees as part of its pest-control efforts. The project is currently about 60% complete. The county plans to finish the control work by early December and plant trees in spring 2027 to create a forest more resilient to forest disasters.

The county is using different control methods depending on the extent of damage and the conservation value of the forest. Korean pine forests with high conservation value, including those in natural recreation forests, provincial parks, and pine nut production areas, are being prioritized for control. In areas with ordinary levels of damage, all damaged trees will be removed to reduce the damage to a manageable level. In severely affected areas, the county plans to establish control zones and convert the tree species.

The county explained the burden that pest-control efforts place on local finances and requested increased national funding in connection with the designation of special control zones. It also called for a higher national subsidy rate for forest disaster response costs, as well as institutional support to expand dedicated control teams and staffing.

“Pine wilt disease has spread rapidly recently, increasing losses for forest owners and forestry workers and threatening valuable Korean pine forests,” Governor Seo Taewon said. “We will work closely with the Korea Forest Service and other relevant organizations and devote every effort to stopping its spread.”

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