{"id":4350,"date":"2019-10-23T11:15:03","date_gmt":"2019-10-23T02:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.01.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/?p=4350"},"modified":"2019-10-28T17:14:30","modified_gmt":"2019-10-28T08:14:30","slug":"swine-fever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.02.asiapress.org\/rimjin-gang\/2019\/10\/news\/swine-fever\/","title":{"rendered":"Paying Off the Pigs: African Swine Fever Spreads as Peddlers Bribe Police to Sell Infected Pork"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A resident carrying a pig on the back of their bicycle. Photographed in June 2010 in South Pyongan Province by Kim Dong-cheol (ASIAPRESS)<\/p><\/div>\n

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In South Korea, multiple cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been confirmed since late September, with authorities declaring a state of emergency. As many cases have been discovered in South Korea\u2019s northwest Gyeonggi Province, in places such as Paju, it is almost certain that the virus came from across the North Korean border. As such, the South Korean military gave orders, on October 4, for soldiers stationed at the DMZ to kill boars on sight. (ISHIMARU Jiro)<\/p>\n

So, what measures are being taken on the other side of the border to combat ASF? An investigation into the matter reveals a very poor state of affairs.<\/p>\n

Cases of ASF were confirmed in North Korea in mid-May and reported to relevant U.N. agencies. Subsequently, North Korean authorities issued a notice prohibiting the sale and consumption of pork. Meanwhile, quarantine officers and police cracked down on pork sales at markets.<\/p>\n

To avoid huge financial losses from having their stocks confiscated, however, pig farmers and butchers began secretly selling pork from their homes. At this time, the price of pork fell from 15 Chinese RMB per kilogram to 12 RMB per kilogram. (\u203b1RMB=0.14USD)
\nNext page :Sudden spike in number of pigs dying from virus...<\/strong>
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(Reference photo) Women selling cuts of pork. Photograph taken by ASIAPRESS in November, 2011 at a market in a northern border city.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\u25c6 Sudden spike in number of pigs dying from virus<\/h2>\n

Since late September, ASIAPRESS reporting partners from various parts of North Korea have been gathering news on the spread of ASF and the state\u2019s efforts to quarantine the disease. To summarize in short, the authorities have lost all control over the quarantine, with the number of pigs dying from infection increasing rapidly.<\/p>\n

The first reason for this is that pigs are a valuable source of cash for residents and, thus, are traded in secret to avoid confiscation. The second reason is that officials responsible for the crackdown, such as the police, are being bribed to turn a blind eye. A final cause is the state\u2019s financial difficulties, with authorities unable to properly supply disinfectant or quarantine the pigs.<\/p>\n

According to a reporting partner, authorities are not providing specific information on the prevention and control of ASF and there are not a lot of cooperative farms that raise pigs on a large scale. The food given to pigs is not proper pig feed but, instead, mainly a mixture of human excrement and grass, which flies and birds, also capable of spreading the ASF virus, are flocking to as well.<\/p>\n

A reporting partner in Ryanggang Province said, \u201cWhen there is a crackdown, the police and quarantine officers stand at the entrance to the market or at intersections to inspect people\u2019s cars or bicycles. If you offer a bribe, however, you can pass easily. For example, if you are carrying 40 kilograms of pork, the officers will accept a bribe of 5 kilograms of meat or 100 RMB.\u201d
\nNext page :Buying and freezing dead pigs to sell secretly...<\/strong>
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DPRK Map<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c6 Buying and freezing dead pigs to sell secretly<\/h2>\n

African ASF has also spread in the South and North Hamkyung Provinces, killing many pigs. A reporting partner investigated the situation in the Kimchaek, Gilju, and Hamhung areas.<\/p>\n

At a cooperative farm in the Kimchaek region, all 8 pigs on the farm died. However, the meat was sold secretly.<\/p>\n

On a farm in Cheongam-ri, Gilju County, where 20 pigs were being raised, 12 pigs died over the course of the last month. The remaining 8 pigs were slaughtered and sold in a hurry. As pigs died all around the region, the price of pork temporarily fell to just 7 RMB (about 1,170 South Korean won) per kilogram. This price drop was apparently due to the sudden increase in supply of recently-slaughtered pigs. Since then, however, with almost all pigs slaughtered and sold, the price of pork has skyrocketed from 14 RMB (about 2,300 South Korean won) to 20 RMB (about 3,350 South Korean won) per kilogram.<\/p>\n

Even in the urban area of Hamhung, ASF has spread through the suburbs, killing pigs being raised by individuals. However, state agencies, including quarantine centers, have not conducted any investigations nor done any prevention work in the area. When a pig falls victim to the virus, authorities are supposed to come to confiscate the dead animal. Breeders, though, are not reporting the deaths of their animals and are secretly butchering the pigs to sell. In Pyongyang, it is said that one can even obtain a permit for selling dead pigs by just paying $30 to a quarantine center.<\/p>\n

In Hamhung, newly-wealthy investors, as well as individuals with freezers, are buying dead pigs for dirt cheap to preserve in freezers and sell secretly later. This supply is steadily decreasing however.<\/p>\n

As police and quarantine officials are only inspecting for pork at road-side checkpoints, illegal pork vendors can easily hand over bribes to pass through. Even if officers catch someone transporting pork, they do not even ask where the pork is from or how the pig died.<\/p>\n

The reporting partner who investigated in Hamhung said, \u201cResidents have yet to understand the seriousness of ASF. As people cannot be infected, they believe it\u2019s harmless. They think that if one of their pigs dies, it should be simply eaten or sold.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reporting partner continued, \u201cPeople with a bit of knowledge on the matter try to raise their pigs in isolation but the best they can do to quarantine their animals is to cover the pens with wood. These people know that a lot of pigs have died, so even a little pig can be worth its weight in gold. As such, some are doing their best to raise their pigs indoors, in isolation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Exactly how many pigs in North Korea have died from the disease is unknown as the North Korean authorities do not publish such data. However, Seo Hoon, head of South Korea\u2019s National Intelligence Service, recently reported to the National Assembly\u2019s Intelligence Committee on September 24, that \u201cASF has spread throughout North Korea, totally killing off the pigs of North Pyongan Province.\u201d<\/p>\n

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