Gangwon-do, 'Full Lockdown to Prevent ASF Spread'... Wild Boar Capture Operation

Establishment of ASF Prevention Line in Southern Gangwon... 10,000 Animals Captured
About 900 Hunters and 300 Capture Devices to be Deployed by March Next Year

Wild Boar ASF Management Area Classification [Gangwon-do]

[Asia Economy Reporter La Young-cheol] As the spread of African Swine Fever (hereafter 'ASF') within Gangwon Province heightens anxiety in the pig farming industry, Gangwon Province is taking measures to completely block the ASF spread routes among wild boars.

According to the province on the 1st, an ASF containment line will be established mainly in the southern region of Gangwon, and from this day until the end of March next year, a 'Winter Wild Boar Intensive Capture' operation will be carried out to drastically reduce the wild boar population.

Instead of deploying nationwide hunters who pose a high risk of spreading ASF to other regions, the plan is to increase the ASF damage prevention team (hunting personnel) within the province from about 500 to 900 people to be mobilized for capturing.

To increase the wild boar capture rate and encourage capture activities, the capture reward per wild boar will be raised from the existing 270,000 KRW to 370,000 KRW, and capture equipment such as thermal cameras and night vision goggles will also be supported.

In particular, a 'Clean Zone' will be established in eight cities and counties in the southern region of Gangwon (Hoengseong~Wonju~Pyeongchang~Yeongwol~Jeongseon~Donghae~Samcheok~Taebaek), where about 1,000 capture tools will be intensively installed or deployed to completely block the movement routes of wild boars.

As a preemptive ASF containment measure, the province operated the nation's largest 'Wide-Area Hunting Ground' integrating five cities and counties in central Gangwon from December last year to the end of March this year, achieving an effect of delaying the southward spread of ASF over about four months.

A provincial official stated, "Through this intensive capture measure, we hope to alleviate the pig farming industry's anxiety and prevent ASF from spreading for a long time," adding, "Going forward, a swift transition to a farm-centered quarantine system at the central government level is necessary."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.