South Korea - The Korea Times

3 in 10 households in Korea raise pets, mostly dogs

Nearly 3 out of 10 households in South Korea raise pets, mostly dogs, government data showed Tuesday. A survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs showed that 29.2 percent of households were raising pets at home in 2025. Among these households, 80.5 percent raised dogs, while 14.4 percent raised cats and 4.1 percent fish. Pet owners spent an average of 121,000 won ($84) per month on their pets. The survey marked South Korea's first nationally approved statistical survey on pet ownership. In a separate survey on animal welfare, also conducted by the agriculture ministry, a little less than half of respondents said pet owners appear to be properly complying with pet-related requirements, such as using leashes and identification tags. Still, there existed a wide perception gap depending on the respondents' pet ownership, with 86.9 percent of those who own pets saying they comply with the rules, while only 39.9 percent of non-owners gave the same response. Regarding the penalty for animal abuse, 93.2 percent of respondents agreed with a need for stronger punishment for those

Feb 17, 2026By Yonhap

3 in 10 households in Korea raise pets, mostly dogs

Korea reports 15th African swine fever case this season

Korea confirmed the 15th case of African swine fever (ASF) this season, Saturdy, prompting quarantine authorities to step up efforts to prevent further infections during the five-day Lunar New Year holiday. The new case was reported at a pig farm in the county of Changnyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, some 263 kilometers southeast of Seoul, according to the central disaster management headquarters for ASF. Authorities dispatched quarantine officials to the affected farm to conduct an epidemiological investigation and restricted access to the site. All pigs at the farm will be culled to prevent further spread. They urged owners and employees of pig farms and butcheries to fully comply with quarantine and standstill guidelines to curb the spread of the animal disease.

Feb 14, 2026By Yonhap

Korea reports 15th African swine fever case this season

Gov't urges wildfire prevention measures during Lunar New Year

The government on Friday called on the public to take part in wildfire prevention measures over the Lunar New Year holiday, citing relatively extensive damage from fires across the country so far this year. The interior ministry, along with six other government agencies, issued the call in a joint statement, noting growing concerns of wildfires due to continued dry weather conditions. As of Tuesday, the country reported 89 wildfires this year, which burned 247 hectares of land in total, about 16 times the area impacted by wildfires over the same period the previous year. The government called for participation in wildfire prevention measures, noting that 73 percent of wildfires over the past decade were caused by individual negligence. It called on the public to not carry flammable material or lighters if hiking or entering forests during the Lunar New Year holiday period set to run through Wednesday and refrain from activities that could lead to fires.

Feb 13, 2026By Yonhap

Gov't urges wildfire prevention measures during Lunar New Year

Korea reports 3 new African swine fever cases; total now at 14

Korea has confirmed three new cases of African swine fever (ASF) at pig farms in the central and southern areas, quarantine authorities said Friday, bringing the number of cases this year to 14. The three new cases were each reported from pig farms in Jeongeup in North Jeolla Province, Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang Province and Hongseong in South Chungcheong Province, according to the central disaster management headquarters for ASF. Korea reported its first confirmed case of the year on Jan. 16. Quarantine officials have been dispatched to the recently affected farms for epidemiological investigation, and were planning to cull some 10,000 pigs that were being raised on the farms to prevent further spread of the disease. They also issued a 48-hour standstill order for pig farms and related facilities in the affected and neighboring areas. With the possibility of ASF further spreading during the Lunar New Year holiday next week, quarantine authorities said they will conduct examinations on all of the some 4,800 pig farms across the country by Feb. 28. They also plan to strengthen crackdowns

Feb 13, 2026By Yonhap

Korea reports 3 new African swine fever cases; total now at 14

Korea reports 10th African swine fever case this year

Korea on Monday confirmed its 10th case of African swine fever (ASF) this year, prompting authorities to issue a standstill order to prevent the virus from spreading. The outbreak was detected at a farm raising 1,280 pigs in Naju, South Jeolla Province, according to the Central Accident Control Headquarters for ASF. The headquarters noted that the farm has epidemiological links to a site in Yeonggwang in the same Province, where an ASF case was reported last month. Authorities plan to dispatch a quarantine team and epidemiological investigators to the farm to restrict access by outsiders. All pigs at the farm will be culled to prevent further spread. Officials also issued a 24-hour temporary standstill order for pig farms and related facilities, including butcheries. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok ordered emergency containment measures, including restricting access to the site and culling operations, after receiving a report on the new case. Kim also stressed the need for a thorough epidemiological investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak. ASF does not affect humans but is fatal to

Feb 9, 2026By Yonhap

Korea reports 10th African swine fever case this year

Korea officially confirms 62,604 species in national biodiversity count

South Korea now officially recognizes 62,604 species within its borders, up from 61,230 in 2024, according to data released Monday. The latest National Species List, compiled by the National Institute of Biological Resources, is based on data gathered through the end of 2025. Compared with the 28,462 native species identified in 1996, the confirmed total has more than doubled. The steady rise reflects the discovery and formal documentation of species that were already present in Korea but previously unknown. Taking the country's total territory into account, experts estimate that the country may host around 100,000 native species in total. Among the species newly added to the list, 307 were entirely new to science, with their existence confirmed for the first time, according to the organization. One such discovery is a plant known as “beoteum yangjikkot,” a perennial herb that grows with yellow petals and spreads as its roots extend sideways. It has been confirmed as an endemic species found only in central regions of the country. Another new species, an invertebrate known as the larg

Feb 9, 2026By Jung Min-ho

Korea officially confirms 62,604 species in national biodiversity count

Korea reports 8th African swine fever case

Korea on Saturday confirmed the eighth case of African swine fever (ASF) this year, prompting the authorities to step up containment measures nationwide. The latest case was detected at a pig farm in Pocheon, north of Seoul, which raises some 8,800 pigs, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus and plans to cull affected pigs. But the center does not plan to issue a standstill order for all pig farms and related facilities in and around the pig farm as the area has been already under intensive quarantine control. The country confirmed its first ASF case of the year earlier this month in the eastern city of Gangneung after a two-month hiatus, followed by two additional cases last week in Anseong and Pocheon, both in Gyeonggi Province. ASF does not affect humans but is fatal to pigs, and there is currently no vaccine or cure for the disease.

Feb 7, 2026By Yonhap

Korea reports 8th African swine fever case

Korea blanketed by heavy overnight snow

Heavy snow blanketed the nation overnight Monday, disrupting the morning commute, with snowfall forecast to continue in eastern and southern parts of the country, the weather agency said. A heavy snow advisory was lifted for Seoul at 4 a.m., but city officials mobilized snow removal trucks throughout the early morning to spread deicing agents and minimize inconveniences to commuters. The city issued a mobile alert at 6 a.m. to warn of slippery roads due to the overnight snow and advise commuters to use public transportation. Some parts of the wider capital area are expected to see light snow of less than 0.1 centimeter in the morning, while other parts of the nation will see more snowfall, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The eastern islands of Ulleung and Dokdo are forecast to receive 5-10 cm of snow, while parts of the southwestern provinces of South and North Jeolla will see snowfall of 3-8 cm. Meanwhile, the eastern province of Gangwon, the central city of Daejeon, and parts of the southeastern provinces of South and North Gyeongsang are expected to see 2-7 cm of

Feb 2, 2026By Yonhap

First FMD case in 9 months confirmed in Incheon

The first case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in nine months was confirmed at a cattle farm in Incheon on Saturday, authorities said. The case was reported in the county of Ganghwa, prompting authorities to raise the relevant warning level from "attention" to "serious" in Incheon and the nearby city of Gimpo, according to the government's central headquarters for FMD response. Quarantine and epidemiologic experts have been sent to the affected farm to help stop the spread of the disease, while 246 cows on the ranch will be culled in line with relevant procedures. FMD is an acute infectious viral disease that causes illness in cows, pigs, goats and other cloven-hoofed animals. It does not affect humans. The government said it has issued a 48-hour standstill order on workers and vehicles with access to farms and other livestock-related facilities in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Nearly 40 pieces of disinfectant equipment will be used to disinfect farms and nearby roads in Incheon and Gimpo. The FMD response team held a meeting later in the day to discuss the outbreak and appropriate quaran

Jan 31, 2026By Yonhap

First FMD case in 9 months confirmed in Incheon

Fuel spill reported at US air base in Gunsan; probe under way

A fuel spill occurred at a U.S. air base in the southwestern city of Gunsan earlier this week, prompting an investigation to determine its exact cause, the U.S. Air Force said Thursday. The spill was detected by airmen from the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 8th Civil Engineer Squadron at Kunsan Air Base on Monday, who took immediate response measures, the U.S. 8th Fighter Wing said in a release. "There is no threat to drinking water as it is supplied from an off-base source and (we) do not anticipate any immediate risk to the health or safety of on base or surrounding off-base communities," it said. "Our teams will continue to monitor the site as restoration efforts continue," the Air Force unit said, adding the contaminants are currently contained to the immediate site.

Jan 29, 2026By Yonhap

Environment & Animals