January 19, 2026

South Korea sees first ASF case in about two months

South Korea on January 17 confirmed its first case of African swine fever (ASF) in about two months, prompting the authorities to cull thousands of pigs and issue a standstill order to prevent the virus from spreading.

The outbreak was detected at a farm in Gangneung, about 170km east of Seoul in Gangwon Province, according to the provincial government.

The authorities said 29 of 32 pigs that died at the facility on January 16 tested positive for the virus, which is fatal to pigs but harmless to humans. It is the first confirmed case in the country since November, when an outbreak was reported in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province.

To prevent the spread, officials culled 20,000 pigs at the affected farm and issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms in six adjacent cities and counties.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok ordered emergency containment measures, including restricting access to the site and culling operations, after receiving a report on the new case.

Kim also stressed the need for a thorough epidemiological investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak.

- The Korea Herald/Asia News Network