October 12, 2020

New African swine fever cases in South Korea, 1,500 swine culled

South Korea has detected new African swine fever (ASF) cases on a farm in Gangwon province, the first time the disease has been discovered this year among farm livestock, with 1,500 swine culled at the farm, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Three dead swine initially tested positive for ASF at the farm. 

Swine within a 10 km radius of the farm were culled by authorities, according to South Korea's Agriculture Ministry.

ASF was first discovered in South Korea last year, affecting 14 farms with 400,000 swine culled.

No new ASF cases were reported since October 2019 among farm livestock, but 750 ASF cases have been detected among wild boar at the border to North Korea.

South Korea banned German pork imports last month following positive ASF cases among wild boar in Brandenburg state, east Germany.

-      Yonhap news agency