First Case of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reported in South Korea

SOUTH KOREA – South Korea on Saturday reported the first case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) at a cattle farm in the northwestern coast, the first in 9 months.

The case was reported and confirmed at a cattle farm in Incheon, triggering swift emergency measures, Yonhap News reported, citing authorities.

The discovery immediately pushed alert levels in Incheon and neighboring Gimpo from “attention” to “serious,” signaling a full-scale response.

Quarantine and disease control teams were rushed to the farm to contain the outbreak, while all 246 cows on the ranch are set to be culled under disease prevention rules.

A 48-hour standstill order was imposed on workers and vehicles linked to farms and livestock facilities across Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.

Dozens of disinfectant units were also deployed to sanitize farms and nearby roads in an effort to halt any further spread.

Foot-and-mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs and goats, but poses no risk to humans.

The last outbreak in South Korea was recorded last April.