Lee Jae-myung: "African Swine Fever Quarantine Achievements Result of Extraordinary Efforts by Field Officials"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung visited a concentrated pig farming complex in Pocheon and a wild boar containment fence installation site on the 18th with Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun to inspect the African Swine Fever (ASF) quarantine situation and urged thorough quarantine measures during summer.

Pocheon Mayor Park Yun-guk, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lee Jae-wook, Deputy Minister of Environment Hong Jeong-gi, Director General of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency Park Bong-gyun, Commander of the 6th Corps Park Yang-dong, and Director of the Han River Basin Environmental Office Jeong Gyeong-yun attended the event.

Governor Lee and PM Chung first received a briefing on summer ASF quarantine and quarantine promotion in concentrated pig farming areas, then directly inspected the concentrated pig farming complex in Ildong-myeon, Pocheon. They then moved to the wild boar containment fence installation area in Changsoo-myeon to receive briefings on wild boar quarantine promotion and inspect the site.

Governor Lee said on this day, "African swine fever has occurred worldwide, but South Korea is almost the only country that has not spread outside the affected areas," adding, "In all affected areas including Paju, Yeoncheon, and Gimpo, we conducted what is called a scorched-earth operation, culling all pigs, and the results have been achieved through the extraordinary efforts of public officials who have worked 24-hour shifts at quarantine posts for a long time afterwards."

He continued, "Public officials in cities and counties, including Pocheon, have worked extremely hard and experienced serious psychological trauma. I would be very grateful if (you, Mr. Prime Minister) would grant them some vacation time and give them commendations," adding, "In the future, I hope you will encourage them to further contain African swine fever."

In response, PM Chung said, "When there are problems like infectious diseases, the efforts of local and provincial government officials are much greater. I want to thank them and encourage them for their hard work," and added, "I believe it is the right thing to commend and encourage sincere public officials who have spared no effort in dealing with African swine fever, COVID-19, and related matters."

PM Chung continued, "South Korea's response to African swine fever, as well as COVID-19, has been excellent. Installing wire fences in the demilitarized zone area to prevent wild boars from moving south is something that will be recorded in history," urging, "Although it is difficult and challenging, by rotating duties and continuing to the end, let us all work together so that South Korea can succeed in the African swine fever quarantine operations."

There have been no additional ASF cases in pig farms in Gyeonggi Province since the last occurrence in Yeoncheon in October of last year, but wild boars have detected a total of 386 cases as of the 17th: 278 cases in Yeoncheon, 98 cases in Paju, and 10 cases in Pocheon since the first confirmed case in Yeoncheon in October last year.

In particular, while ASF cases in wild boars are showing a declining trend, the virus-contaminated area has recently expanded to Pocheon, with a total of 10 cases occurring: 3 cases in Gwangin-myeon from April 19 to May 20, and 7 cases in Changsoo-myeon since June 17.

Gyeonggi Province is controlling the movement of pigs, feed, and manure by consolidating the high-risk area north of the Han River into a single jurisdiction. In addition, to prevent virus inflow into farms, it is restricting entry to 239 pig farming households in the northern region, and when entry is unavoidable, it is implementing additional quarantine measures such as installing internal fences.

The province plans to install secondary fences around the Bojangsan area in Pocheon, where recent cases have been frequent, increase management personnel, and additionally support wild boar capture incentives to encourage wild boar capture activities.