hankyoreh

Agriculture

By Kim Hyun-dae, Senior Staff Writer

The foot-and-mouth disease outbreak that originated in Andong has spread to the northern part of South Korea in Gyeonggi Province. A record 170,000 animals have been targeted for burial to date. South Korea now finds itself facing the ignominy of being labeled a "repeat offender" for the disease.

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF) announced Wednesday that foot-and-mouth disease cases were found at two pig farms in Gyeonggi Province, one in Sangsu Village, Nam Township, Yangju, and another in Nogok 2-ri Village, Baekhak Township, Yeoncheon County. Both farms, located 17 km apart, are owned by the same farmer, leading analysts to suggest that the disease may have spread considerably as the owner moved around.

Other reports of suspected foot-and-mouth disease were received from two pig farms located near the Yeoncheon site and one in Bugok Village, Paju, some 15 km away.

The MIFAFF immediately started burying 700 cows and 15,925 pigs located within 500 meters of the two farms with confirmed foot-and-mouth disease cases. This brings the number of animals buried since Nov. 29 past the previous record of 160,155 set in 2002.

Because of the high density of livestock farming near the Yangju and Yeoncheon sites, the number of animals targeted for burial will instantaneously increase by an additional 67,000 if the scope of the targets is widened to a 3 km risk zone as it was in Andong.

Meanwhile, there is no sign of a letup in the foot-and-mouth outbreak in the North Gyeongsang Province area. An additional case was confirmed at a cattle farm in Majeon Village, Jibo Township, Yecheon County, while suspected cases were reported in Mungyeong and Yeongdeok.

The MIFAFF raised its crisis alarm level from the first stage, "caution," to the second stage, "alert," indicating a spread to two metropolitan cities or provinces. There are three total levels.

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