Pre-registration system introduced for visitors to large laying-hen farms; 100 unmanned checkpoints planned

New SAT1-type foot-and-mouth disease detected in China, Mongolia; vaccines for about 32 million animals to be stockpiled by next year

Wild boar ASF detections quadruple; blood plasma feed flagged as new transmission risk

This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]
This image is unrelated to the article. [Getty Images Bank]

South Korea is stepping up its winter livestock disease defenses after highly pathogenic avian influenza cases in wild birds overseas more than doubled in a year and a new strain of foot-and-mouth disease not previously seen in the country emerged in China and Mongolia. The government will introduce a pre-registration system for visitors to large laying-hen farms and stockpile vaccines for about 32 million animals by next year to guard against the new FMD strain.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Wednesday it discussed the "2026–2027 Winter Livestock Disease Special Prevention Measures" at the 14th National Policy Coordination Committee meeting, chaired by the prime minister. The period from October through February next year has been designated a special prevention period, with AI, FMD and African swine fever to be managed intensively.

Warning signs from abroad have grown sharper this year. Overseas wild-bird AI detections rose from 1,432 cases in January through August last year to 2,957 cases over the same period this year — more than double. Two cases of the new SAT1-type FMD were confirmed in China in March, and three more were detected in Mongolia between May and August.

AI controls will focus on laying-hen farms, which bore the brunt of last winter's outbreaks. Of the 62 AI cases recorded during the 2025–2026 winter season, 31 — exactly half — occurred at laying-hen farms, including 17 at large farms housing more than 100,000 birds.

The government will introduce a new pre-registration requirement under which livestock loading and unloading crews, vaccination teams and others who frequently enter large laying-hen farms must register seven days in advance, allowing authorities to track their movements and access records. About 100 unmanned checkpoints equipped with closed-circuit television cameras will also be installed at large laying-hen farms and densely concentrated complexes to monitor vehicles around the clock.

The 95 cities, counties and districts with a history of AI outbreaks will implement tailored prevention plans factoring in the distribution of livestock farms, vehicle traffic patterns and proximity to migratory bird habitats. Twelve densely concentrated laying-hen complexes, as well as Pyeongtaek, Hwaseong and the northwestern part of Cheonan — areas hit hard last winter — will receive intensive management. In Gimje, where outbreaks have occurred for three consecutive years, stocking density will be reduced and separate vehicle routes designated.

If AI is confirmed on a farm or in wild birds, the crisis alert will be raised immediately to the highest "Serious" level, triggering a pan-government response including a nationwide temporary livestock movement ban. Transmission risk will be assessed every two weeks to determine the scope of culling, with the aim of minimizing unnecessary disposal.

For FMD, the focus is on preventing the SAT1 strain from entering the country. The government completed pre-emptive vaccinations in July at farms and breeding stock operations in border areas of Incheon, Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province. The 28 cities and counties designated as near-risk zones will also be vaccinated by early next year. To prepare for a potential domestic SAT1 outbreak, the government plans to secure vaccines for about 10 million animals by the end of this year and expand that stockpile to about 32 million doses by next year — enough to vaccinate all cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, twice.

For ASF, the government will focus on three risk factors: wild boars, blood plasma feed and illegally imported livestock products. Wild boar ASF detections surged from 50 cases in January through August last year to 197 cases over the same period this year, roughly a fourfold increase. Of those, 147 cases — 74.6 percent — were found in Hwacheon, Chuncheon, Chungju, Pocheon and Gapyeong.

The government will deploy thermal-imaging drones, vehicles, detection dogs and search teams to those areas. Sample testing at 64 slaughterhouses and 36 blood storage facilities nationwide will be conducted to prevent ASF-contaminated pig blood from entering the feed supply chain. On international flight routes from ASF-affected countries, X-ray screening and detection dogs will be deployed in force, and inspections of foreign grocery stores will be increased from twice to four times a year.

"This year, the risk level has risen, with highly pathogenic influenza increasing in wild birds overseas and a new type of foot-and-mouth disease emerging in Asia," said Lee Dong-sik, director general of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' animal disease prevention policy bureau. "We will focus our management on high-risk farms and regions such as laying-hen farms, and respond swiftly when outbreaks occur to prevent the spread."


adastra@heraldcorp.com