Gyeonggi Province Selected as 'Best Agency' in National Livestock Quarantine Evaluation

Gyeonggi Province was selected as the best agency nationwide in the "2026 Special Evaluation of Excellent Livestock Quarantine Cases by Local Governments" led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has conducted annual evaluations of livestock quarantine performance by local governments since 2005, discovering and commending excellent cases. The evaluation was conducted on all 16 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide, comprehensively assessing the quarantine effects of livestock quarantine policies, creativity, and efficiency, including cooperation between local and central governments.

Gyeonggi Province received high ratings for implementing prevention-focused quarantine policies, including △early shipment and breeding restrictions on ducks, which are high-risk species for highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) during winter △operating mobile guidance barriers to block migratory bird access to farms △maintaining strong defense capabilities through strengthened foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccination management △operating a dedicated task force (TF) with the central government to prevent African swine fever (ASF) occurrences △establishing a Gyeonggi Province-type comprehensive mid- to long-term livestock quarantine countermeasures plan △constructing a diagnostic system for four types of disaster-type livestock infectious diseases (highly pathogenic AI, ASF, FMD, and lumpy skin disease) that was the first among local governments.

Gyeonggi Province not only responded to livestock infectious disease outbreaks after their occurrence but also strengthened preventive measures in advance, considering risk periods and regional characteristics. The province also received recognition for analyzing causes in affected areas and devising quarantine facility improvement measures, as well as linking field opinions to system improvements by the central government.

Lee Eun-kyung, head of the Animal Quarantine and Sanitation Division of Gyeonggi Province, said, "The selection as the best agency is the result of the joint efforts of provincial and municipal-level quarantine officials and livestock farmers, including the Animal Health Testing Institute. With a sense of responsibility that Gyeonggi Province's livestock quarantine is national quarantine, we will continue to do our best to minimize livestock infectious disease outbreaks and damage through proactive prevention and rapid response."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province, selected as the best agency, will receive a commendation from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on the 27th and is scheduled to present its excellent cases at the nationwide city and province FMD and lumpy skin disease workshop on the 28th.