hankyoreh

President Lee Myung-bak Tuesday called for concerted national efforts to stem the spread of avian influenza (AI) that broke out in the southwestern Jeolla provinces last week.

Lee made the remark while visiting poultry farms in North Jeolla province, which have been battered by the outbreak and spread of the deadly virus since last week. Lee traveled to Jeongeup, about 250 kilometers south of Seoul, by train before hearing briefings from provincial officials and looking around AI-infected poultry farms and quarantine outposts.

The South Korean government has reported four outbreaks of suspected and confirmed AI cases, confirming that the mass deaths of ducks at a Jeongeup duck farm were caused by the H5N1 strain of avian influenza that has affected humans in the past.

"The government has to take fundamental measures to prevent AI from breaking out in Korea annually. The agriculture ministry has to conduct a thorough study to look into the cause of the disease," said Lee.

"It is nonetheless fortunate that no cases of human contamination have yet been reported."

According to a presidential aide, Lee also instructed the provincial officials to take thorough quarantine measures to prevent the further spread of the disease.

"Lee personally decided to make a trip to the AI-infected areas, amid signs of the avian disease spreading to other parts of the country," said the aide.

SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap)