Oh Se-hoon: “Don’t leave a single pine wilt-infected tree behind” — Seoul steps up pest control

[Financial News] On the 26th, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon instructed officials to focus administrative resources on removing infected trees and taking preventive measures to stop the spread of pine wilt disease. In particular, he called for stepped-up control and monitoring in green spaces frequently visited by residents, including Namsan and Seoul Forest. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, after seeing media reports that the number of pine wilt-infected trees in Seoul had reached 74, Mayor Oh urged officials at an executive meeting that day to “give it everything they have, with the resolve to ensure that not a single pine wilt-infected tree remains in Seoul.”
Mayor Oh stressed, “Because damage from pine wilt disease is difficult to reverse once it spreads, respond thoroughly even if the response is criticized as somewhat excessive,” adding, “Don’t stop at removing infected trees; expand control measures to surrounding areas as well to completely block the possibility of further spread.”
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is conducting precision surveillance using drones within a 5-kilometer radius of newly affected areas. It also inspects major parks, forests, hiking trails and street trees at least once a month.
The interval between preventive tree injections will also be shortened. For the pine forests on Namsan, it will be reduced from three years to two, and the injections are also planned every two years in major parks such as Seoul Forest. From this November through next March, the city will carry out intensive control measures, including removing trees suspected of being infected and administering preventive injections.
Mayor Oh stressed, “Concentrate all administrative resources, with the resolve to protect Seoul’s precious forest resources,” adding, “Thoroughly inspect the work to ensure that strong preventive and control measures are implemented without fail on the ground, and respond firmly so that lax management does not lead to further spread.”

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