▲ A quarantine worker enters a pig farm in Pyeongtaek, some 75 kilometers south of Seoul, where the 17th case of African swine fever (ASF) for this year was reported, in this file photo taken Feb. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

swine fever-feed contamination

Gov't to strengthen swine flu response after virus detected in livestock feed

SEOUL, March 16 (Yonhap) -- The government plans to strengthen quarantine measures at local pig farms, slaughterhouses and fodder production facilities, after the African swine fever (ASF) virus was detected in pig feed, the agricultural ministry said Monday.

According to the ministry, an epidemiological investigation found the ASF virus inside the ingredients and feed using porcine plasma, a digestible protein source derived from the blood of pigs.

The government suspects blood from an infected pig was mixed in and has decided to discard all fodder suspected to be infected, while recalling more than 490 tons of feed related to the problematic manufacturer, it added.

The move came as the country reported a yearly record of ASF outbreaks, 22 cases, in less than three months since the start of this year. The figure marks a sharp increase compared to the combined tally of 17 for the last two years from 2024 to 2025.

Quarantine authorities are also conducting a third round of inspections of pig farms nationwide until Friday.

They are additionally carrying out daily blood tests on pigs slaughtered at some 64 slaughterhouses across the country, according to the ministry.

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