Korea has regained its bird-flu free status. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced Sunday that Korea met the criteria for a bird-flu free zone set out by the world organization for animal health (OIE) as of Friday last week.

According to OIE guidelines, a country can be declared bird-flu free if the disease does not break out again three months after quarantine measures were implemented and if preventative inspection finds no signs of the disease.

The last case of bird flu in Korea was detected in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, and Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, and the cull of poultry took place on May 15. A thorough examination of duck farms nationwide from May 19 to June 30 showed that the country was clean of bird flu.

(englishnews@chosun.com )