South Korea “has forgotten army”, faces “another enemy to fight”, on the border with its northern neighbour

According to foreign media reports, after reporting on an outbreak of African pig fever in North Korea in May, soldiers along the border were ordered to capture or shoot wild pigs going to South Korea.

Thus, officials set traps, inspected 160 miles of border fences and offered rewards for finding a dead pig.

But the effort did not stop the virus.

Starting in September, South Korea has found sick animals on 14 farms and has collected nearly all pigs within a radius of about two miles each.

The government said it would also gather all pigs in two towns near the demilitarised zone between the two Koreas.

Also, only in recent days had 145,000 pigs disappeared since South Korea reported its first case of African pork fever last month in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus.

This is also seen as an example of how the failure of the two Koreas to cooperate on daily issues can bring problems beyond diplomatic impasse.

This is because Pyongyang has ignored Seoul's repeated bids to help combat the disease, South Korean Unification Ministry said, ʹ a contrast from 2007, when the two Koreas worked together to curb leg and mouth disease, which affects livestock and pigs.

Last year, the two Koreans agreed to strengthen co-operation to curb infectious diseases during South Korean President Moon Jae's historic visit to Pyongyang.

African pigs' fever has already led to the mass herd of pigs in China and Vietnam, reducing pork supplies.

The mortality rate for pigs contracting the highly contagious virus may be up to 100%. Fortunately, the virus is harmless to humans.