13.10.2019
Handon, the pig farmers’ association, once again called for a halt to bulk disposal of pigs in some areas, including Yeoncheon, due to African swine fever. The association announced that it will start a one-person demonstration in front of the presidential Blue House residence tomorrow, to emphasise their “disapproval of the burying of [non-infected] pigs in Yeoncheon in Gyeonggido and [the importance of] prioritising wild boar management.”
The association also said, “Immediately stop buying and killing any and all pigs, including in Yeoncheon, which had no cases of disease reported; stop the reckless [compulsory government] purchase and burial [of non-infected pigs] immediately and guarantee the right to live for the farmers who have already participated.” The demonstration will be held in front of the Blue House, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Environment Department until the 18th.
In order to prevent the spread of swine fever in Africa, the government previously announced that it would buy and bury all pigs in Yeoncheon, following similar initiatives in Incheon, Ganghwa, Gyeonggi, Gimpo and Paju.
However, some farmers protested in Paju and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province, and only 90 of the 148 farms targeted for the initiaitve have [so far] completed the process.