Gov’t goes on high alert over FMD contamination [English, CSY]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932220

Summary: As the public becomes increasingly alarmed over the environmental impact of the mass culling of animals due to foot-and-mouth disease, the government yesterday issued new measures to contain the damage by assigning civil servants to each disposal site for daily inspections.  Following reports of water and soil contamination at the disposal sites of culled animals, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said yesterday that it has issued new guidelines to regional governments to survey the sites daily.  Under the new measures, public servants will be assigned to each site for daily inspection and for managing the sites to prevent water and soil contamination. Deputy mayors and governors will be in charge of the sites near drinking water sources or those found to be vulnerable to leaks.

Disgust over FMD gives boost to vegetarianism [English, CSY]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932212

Summary: As worries about foot-and-mouth disease spread, vegetarianism is enjoying new popularity, changing Korea’s negative image of vegetarians as people who are overly picky or obsessed with health.  This trend was obvious at the cafeteria in the Seoul National University Music Department on the afternoon of Feb. 7. The cafeteria serves a vegetarian buffet with main dishes made of grains and vegetables. The menu included Korean corn pancakes, a mushroom and red pepper stir-fry, and rice cake soup. The soup was brewed with mushroom, instead of the conventional beef. There was no meat offered.  There are 50 vegetarian restaurants operating in Seoul. As more people turn to vegetarianism, some go to group meetings and share tips on vegetarian recipes. Vegetarian clubs are already operating at Seoul National, Sogang and Hanyang universities. They usually have meetings at vegetarian restaurants near the schools and run seminars on vegetarianism.

S. Korea plans to form FMD task force [English, CSY]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/02/14/0501000000AEN20110214009400320.HTML

Summary: South Korea will set up a task force to develop new foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) countermeasures to protect the country from future outbreaks, the farm ministry said Monday.  The move comes as the country is grappling with the severest outbreak of the disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals. The disease has spread to six provinces and three major cities since the first case was confirmed on Nov. 29, forcing authorities to cull a record 3.31 million heads of cattle, pigs, goats and deer.

<2/11/2011>Seoul to expand tariff quota on pork, powdered milk for price stability [English, CSY]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/02/11/48/0502000000AEN20110211009600320F.HTML