South Korea reports first foot-and-mouth disease case in nearly two years

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea has confirmed a foot-and-mouth disease case in a cattle farm, the first such outbreak in nearly two years, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.

The case, the first in the country since May 2023, was reported in a cattle farm in the southwestern Jeollanam-do province, the ministry said in a statement, adding that about 180 cattle in the farm would be culled.

The government has since raised the alert, stepping up disinfecting efforts in the region, according to the ministry.

Foot-and-mouth disease causes fever and mouth blisters in cloven-hoofed ruminants such as cattle, swine, sheep and goats.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies)