Pine Wood Nematode Disease Detected in Osan City…Gyeonggi Province Activates Emergency Control Measures

Following the detection of pine wood nematode disease in Osan City, Gyeonggi Province held a joint central and local countermeasure meeting on the 22nd, deciding to respond with full force to prevent further damage through epidemiological investigations and emergency control measures.

The meeting held at the Sema-dong Administrative Welfare Center was attended by related organizations including Gyeonggi Province, the Korea Forest Service, the National Institute of Forest Science, the Korea Forest Safety and Disaster Management Technology Corporation, and adjacent cities and counties including Hwaseong City and Pyeongtaek City.

On the 16th, the Gyeonggi Province Forest and Environment Research Institute confirmed that one Korean pine tree on a roadside in Yangsan-dong, Osan City, was infected with pine wood nematode disease. This is the first occurrence of pine wood nematode disease in Osan, bringing the total number of affected municipalities in the province to 24.

The pine wood nematode, native to North America, is a microscopic nematode measuring approximately 1mm. Once infected, treatment is impossible, making early detection through strengthened surveillance and rapid removal of infected trees essential to the response system.

The meeting discussed epidemiological investigations into the timing, causes, and transmission routes of infection, the scope of intensive surveillance, and strategies for emergency control. The administrative areas within a 2km radius of the damage site were designated as pine tree export prohibition zones, and the movement of pine trees within the designated area will be controlled.

Additionally, Gyeonggi Province and Osan City will establish a regional control headquarters and conduct comprehensive surveys of dead trees within a 5km radius of damaged trees. Suspected infected trees will have all samples collected and precise diagnosis conducted, and emergency control will be implemented if additional infected trees are discovered.

As the spread of pine wood nematode disease increases due to climate change, Gyeonggi Province has been conducting ground or drone surveillance in suspected infection areas. Since July, surveillance has been strengthened through manned helicopters, and since May, illegal movement inspections of pine tree retailers have been conducted monthly.

Kim Il-gon, Director of the Forest and Greenbelt Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated: "We are implementing differentiated regional-wide control strategies considering local characteristics to increase the effectiveness of pine wood nematode disease control. To prevent the spread of damage, we will make every effort in thorough surveillance and rapid control in the early stages."