South Korea confirms 10th African Swine Fever case in 2026

SOUTH KOREA – South Korea has confirmed 10 outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in 2026 as of early February, a sharp rise compared to the six cases reported during all of 2025. 

On 17th January, ASF Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures reported the first case of the year at a pig farm in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.

By late January, four outbreaks had already been reported, signalling an acceleration in disease spread. The eighth case occurred at a large-scale farm in Pocheon, north of Seoul, housing 8,800 pigs.

The most recent outbreak, the tenth case, was confirmed at a farm in Naju, South Jeolla Province, which had epidemiological links to a previous case in Yeonggwang. 

Each outbreak has prompted immediate culling of affected pigs, with farms ranging from 1,280 to several thousand animals.

To contain the virus, authorities have issued temporary 24-hour standstill orders for pig farms, slaughterhouses, and feed factories to restrict the movement of workers and vehicles. 

Minister Kim Min-seok ordered additional measures, including deploying 63 disinfection units, conducting intensive cleaning of farms and surrounding roads, and conducting detailed epidemiological investigations into farms, vehicles, feed, and equipment linked to infected sites. 

The government has also strengthened monitoring of the illegal trade in livestock products and tightened inspections at slaughterhouses, where cross-contamination risks are high. 

Global disease threat still looms

African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious viral disease that kills nearly all infected pigs but poses no risk to humans, has severely impacted livestock industries across Asia and Europe since 2018.

In 2019, China and Vietnam culled millions of pigs as outbreaks spread rapidly across the region.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), as of January 15, 2026, ASF remains active across much of Asia. 

Several countries continue to report new farm-level outbreaks, including South Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines. India and Thailand have also confirmed recent cases, while China continues to struggle with sporadic flare-ups despite years of containment efforts.

Europe has also faced significant challenges, with countries such as Poland, Romania, and Germany reporting cases in both domestic pigs and wild boar. These outbreaks triggered strict trade restrictions and heightened biosecurity measures.

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