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Quarantine authorities have launched a containment operation after red fire ants — classified as a toxic pest — were discovered at Incheon port.
According to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 10 red fire ants were found June 5 on the ground of a container yard at Seonggwang New Container Terminal in Incheon's new port.
Authorities erected a containment barrier and conducted a thorough sweep of the entire dock, uncovering an additional 210 red fire ants, including larvae, worker ants and soldier ants.
Officials also deployed more than 1,000 traps in the surrounding area, completed disinfection of containers within a 50-meter radius and injected pesticide into the soil throughout the affected zone.
Red fire ants have been detected at Incheon port more than 10 times since 2018.
Listed among the International Union for Conservation of Nature's 100 worst invasive alien species, red fire ants are a venomous pest whose stinger causes intense pain and itching. In severe cases, a sting can trigger anaphylactic shock, with symptoms including dizziness and difficulty breathing.
"As with previous cases, the red fire ants appear to have entered the country through imported shipping containers," an Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency official said. "We are currently conducting an epidemiological investigation to determine the exact route of entry."
Other species on the IUCN's list of 100 worst invasive aliens include the long-legged ant, the cane toad and the Nile tilapia.
rainbow@heraldcorp.com
