Soldiers Deployed Again to Cull Wild Boars to Curb African Swine Fever

Another round of the operation to cull wild boars near the demilitarized zone was launched on Tuesday in a bid to contain African swine fever. The operation will continue for 48 hours until 8 a.m. on Thursday.

The Defense Ministry made the decision as the number of wild boars found near the DMZ and confirmed to have ASF has continued to increase even after the first round of the operation last week.

A wild boar found dead in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, bringing the total number to 12. 

Some 2,000 troops are being mobilized to hunt wild boars in Cheorwon, Hwacheon and Inje in the province. The ministry also used two helicopters to spray disinfectant over the DMZ.

During last week's operation, some 960 soldiers shot and killed 126 wild boars.

Meanwhile, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has demanded that North Korea submit an official report on the ASF outbreak there, VOA reported on Tuesday.

The OIE told VOA, "In countries that have detected one or more outbreaks of the disease in their territory, appropriate measures must be implemented as quickly as possible at both national and cross-border level, in order to curb the spread of the disease."

The North has not followed up with the OIE since filing a report on the first outbreak of the disease in its territory on May 30. Nor has it responded to Seoul's request for cooperation in quarantine efforts.