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Authorities find three new African swine fever cases, weigh culling measures

Published: 13 Feb. 2026, 14:02

Quarantine officials restrict access to a pig farm in Changnyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, where an African swine fever case was reported, in this file photo taken on Feb. 4. [YONHAP]

Korea has confirmed three new cases of African swine fever (ASF) at pig farms in its central and southern areas, quarantine authorities said Friday, bringing the number of cases this year to 14.

The three new cases were reported from pig farms in Jeongeup in North Jeolla Province, Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang Province and Hongseong in South Chungcheong Province, according to the central disaster management headquarters for ASF.

Korea reported its first confirmed case of the year on Jan. 16.

Quarantine officials have been dispatched to the recently affected farms for epidemiological investigation, and were planning to cull some 10,000 pigs that were being raised on the farms to prevent further spread of the disease.

They also issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms and related facilities in affected and neighboring areas.

With the possibility of ASF further spreading during the Lunar New Year holiday next week, quarantine authorities said they will conduct examinations on all of the approximately 4,800 pig farms across the country by Feb. 28.

They also plan to strengthen crackdowns on the distribution of illegally imported livestock products as epidemiological investigation into previous cases confirmed the possibility that ASF was introduced through unauthorized animal products.

Yonhap