February 9, 2026

 

Close to 4,000 pigs to be put down after ASF strikes farm in South Gyeongsang, South Korea

 

 

Authorities in South Korea will cull 3,900 pigs after African swine fever (ASF) was confirmed at a farm in Changnyeong County, South Gyeongsang, the provincial government said on February 4.

 

South Gyeongsang plans to cull 2,400 pigs raised at the infected farm, as well as 1,500 pigs from a nearby farm located 500 meters (1,460 feet) from the affected site.

The owner of the infected farm reported the case to quarantine authorities after pigs continued to die over the past two to three days.

 

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters notified authorities that the case had been confirmed.

 

The disaster headquarters ordered a 24-hour suspension of pig transportation and a halt in the movement of pig manure in areas of South Gyeongsang, including Changnyeong County and nearby Changwon, Miryang, Hapcheon County, Uiryeong County and Haman County — as well as Cheongdo County and Goryeong County in North Gyeongsang and Daegu.

 

At the same time, epidemiological investigation teams were deployed to determine the source of the outbreak.

 

South Gyeongsang also dispatched quarantine teams to restrict access to the infected farm and set up control checkpoints on major roads.

 

This is the first time ASF has been confirmed in South Gyeongsang, with Changnyeong County marking the province's first case.

 

ASF was first detected in Korea in 2019. Since the first case was reported in Paju, Gyeonggi, in September 2019, a total of 62 cases have occurred nationwide, including seven reported this year.

 

Last November, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters raised the ASF crisis alert to the highest level of "serious" nationwide.

 

- Korea JoongAng Daily