Vice Governor for Economic Affairs Joo Hyungcheol: "Pine Wilt-Affected Areas Should Be Turned into Forests Suited to Local Conditions"

Inspect 7-Hectare Tree-Species Conversion Site in Ihwa-ri, Gapyeong
Discuss Expanding Control Efforts in Hardest-Hit Areas
All of Gapyeong Set to Be Designated a Special Control Zone on October 29
Year-Round Control Expected to Enable a Rapid Response

Joo Hyung-cheol, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeonggi Province, visited Gapyeong County, where damage from pine wilt disease is concentrated, to inspect efforts to control the disease by converting tree species and discuss forest restoration plans.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government building. Photo courtesy of Gyeonggi Province.

Gyeonggi Province said on October 26 that Vice Governor Joo had visited a 7-hectare (70,000-square-meter) site in Ihwa-ri, Gapyeong-eup, on October 25, where control work through tree-species conversion is underway. The pine trees affected by the disease have already been felled and chipped, and Gapyeong County is considering which tree species to plant based on local conditions.

Control through tree-species conversion involves cutting down all pine trees in areas repeatedly affected by pine wilt disease and planting other types of trees. The aim is to reduce the risk of further outbreaks by removing infected trees and changing the composition of the forest.

After inspecting the site, Vice Governor Joo discussed ways to expand tree-species conversion in heavily affected areas and select species for planting at a roundtable attended by officials from Gapyeong County and the Gyeonggi Forest Environment Research Institute. They also reviewed plans to prioritize disease control in areas that produce pine nuts and measures to prevent landslides on logged land.

This year, 116,655 pine trees in Gyeonggi Province have died from pine wilt disease, up 36% from last year. In Gapyeong County, 37,458 trees have died, accounting for about one-third of the provincial total.

At Gyeonggi Province's request, the Korea Forest Service plans to designate all of Gapyeong County as a special pine wilt disease control zone starting October 29. In the zone, control work can be carried out year-round, and some procedures, including the collection of branches, are simplified, enabling a rapid response to the spread of the disease.

“In the hardest-hit areas, it is important not to stop at cutting down trees, but to plant species suited to local conditions and transform the area into a forest that residents can enjoy together,” Vice Governor Joo said. “With the designation of the special control zone, we will work closely with the Korea Forest Service and Gapyeong County to actively develop the support measures needed.”

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