Prime Minister Han: "Swift Measures to Block Horizontal Transmission" in Pocheon African Swine Fever Outbreak

On the 30th of last month, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo delivered opening remarks on quarantine measures for arrivals from China at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office. / Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on the 6th instructed relevant ministers to take swift quarantine measures regarding African Swine Fever (ASF) that broke out at a pig farm in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The Prime Minister's Office stated that Prime Minister Han instructed the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to "thoroughly implement initial quarantine measures such as culling pigs at the affected farms and issuing temporary movement suspension orders according to emergency action guidelines, in close cooperation with local governments and related agencies."

Prime Minister Han said, "Mobilize all available resources to promptly carry out on-site quarantine measures and conduct detailed inspections, epidemiological investigations, and intensive disinfection to block horizontal transmission between farms." He also instructed the Minister of Environment to "quickly inspect and reinforce fences installed in Gyeonggi Province and surrounding areas, and intensively conduct carcass searches and capture activities."

Prime Minister Han mentioned that highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) has also been continuously occurring recently, and added that intensive disinfection and detailed inspections should be conducted at poultry farms, facilities, and riversides where migratory birds gather.

According to the ASF Central Accident Response Headquarters and Gyeonggi Province, around 11 a.m. on the same day, ASF virus was detected in six pigs during the inspection process for slaughter at a pig farm in Gwanin-myeon, Pocheon City.