SEOUL – According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that the case was detected at a poultry farm in Paju, north of Seoul. Authorities immediately implemented emergency measures, including restricting access to the affected area, culling infected birds, and launching an epidemiological investigation to determine the source of the outbreak.

The ministry noted that this is the first case of the current season, and that it was detected earlier than in previous years, when initial cases typically emerged in October or November.

In response, the government raised the alert level from ‘alert’ to ‘caution’ and announced plans to inspect poultry farms in Gyeonggi Province, where Paju is located, as well as poultry vendors in traditional markets and livestock transport vehicles across the country, to ensure compliance with disinfection and preventive protocols.

These measures are part of Korea’s efforts to prevent the spread of the virus and protect the poultry sector from potential health and economic repercussions.