The Yeongju National Forest Management Office of the Korea Forest Service announced that it will carry out a pine wilt disease prevention injection project in 81.3 hectares of national forests in Geumbong-ri, Bongseong-myeon, and Gaedan-ri, Mulyamyeon, Bonghwa-gun. These areas were designated as pine tree export prohibition zones in 2019 and 2023, respectively, after the first occurrence of pine wilt disease.
This year, 186 pine trees were infected with pine wilt disease in Bonghwa-gun, a 166% increase compared to 70 trees last year. The prevention injection involves pre-injecting chemicals into pine trees to control pine wilt disease and its vectors.
The project targets important pine forest areas adjacent to forest genetic resource protection zones and national strategic sites to prevent the spread of pine wilt disease and protect the Geumgang pine forest in Uljin, which borders Bonghwa-gun. Kim Jeom-bok, head of the Yeongju National Forest Management Office, emphasized that the prevention injection is essential for protecting important pine forests.