FIRST ASF CASE DETECTED THIS YEAR

[Anchor Lead]

African Swine Fever has been detected at a hog farm in Gangwon-do Province, the first such instance this year. The detection of the virus comes seven months after a hog farm was affected in the same province last October. The government has ordered the culling of some 400 pigs from the affected farm and issued a 48-hour movement ban for Gangwonwon, Gyeonggi and Chungcheongbuk-do provinces.

[Pkg]

An excavator digs a hole in the ground to cull some 400 pigs from a local farm. Two swines were found dead on this farm on May 4. A close examination has revealed that they died of African Swine Fever. It's the first instance of ASF on a hog farm in seven months. So far the virus had been found only in wild boars. Access to the farm is currently restricted. Locals are concerned about additional spread, as the virus has also been found recently in dead wild boars 1-2 km from the farm.

[Soundbite] (Local resident) : "We covered everything with non-woven fabrics, but the boars still managed to rip them apart. They keep coming here."

A 48-hour movement ban has been issued for livestock and farm vehicles in Gangwon-do, Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongbuk-do provinces.

[Soundbite] Hong Nam-ki(Acting Prime Minister) : "I urge authorities to closely examine the situation in Gyeonggi-do Province, which is prone to the virus, and the nearby Chungcheongbuk-do Province."

Quarantine authorities are on high alert, as four hog farms in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, located less than 10 km from the affected farm are raising some 4200 swines.