SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea reported to a U.N. food agency that foot-and-mouth disease -- rampantly spreading in South Korea -- has broken out on its soil as well, a U.S. broadcaster said Thursday.
Radio Free Asia (RFA), quoting an unidentified United Nations official, said that the communist country notified the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of an outbreak in a letter on Wednesday but did not provide details.
An email to the Rome-based U.N. agency seeking confirmation was not immediately returned while its South Korean office said it had no details. An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles affairs involving North Korea, said on condition of anonymity that the report "appears true considering intelligence that foot-and-mouth disease has recently hit the North."
RFA said in its report from Washington that the FAO will send experts to North Korea "at an appropriate time" to help the communist country contain the highly contagious disease.
South Korea has been battling the disease that has spread nationwide in the last three months and caused over 3 million livestock to be culled. It remains unclear whether foot-and-mouth disease, if confirmed in the North, has spread from the South.
In 2007, North Korea suffered outbreaks of the disease, prompting South Korea to dispatch a team of animal health experts amid a mood of reconciliation.
Citing recent visitors to the impoverished neighbor, South Korean officials said last month that the North is believed to be stepping up its quarantine efforts after outbreaks were reported.
South and North Korea are divided by one of the world's most heavily fortified borders. Most cross-border exchanges have come to a halt over the last three years.
Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious and affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs, deer, goats and sheep. The disease causes blisters on the mouth and feet of livestock and leads to death. It is rarely transmitted to humans.
North Korea has banned the inflow of pork and beef from South Korea since late last year for fear that the disease may spread there.
Radio Free Asia (RFA), quoting an unidentified United Nations official, said that the communist country notified the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of an outbreak in a letter on Wednesday but did not provide details.
An email to the Rome-based U.N. agency seeking confirmation was not immediately returned while its South Korean office said it had no details. An official at South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles affairs involving North Korea, said on condition of anonymity that the report "appears true considering intelligence that foot-and-mouth disease has recently hit the North."
RFA said in its report from Washington that the FAO will send experts to North Korea "at an appropriate time" to help the communist country contain the highly contagious disease.
South Korea has been battling the disease that has spread nationwide in the last three months and caused over 3 million livestock to be culled. It remains unclear whether foot-and-mouth disease, if confirmed in the North, has spread from the South.
In 2007, North Korea suffered outbreaks of the disease, prompting South Korea to dispatch a team of animal health experts amid a mood of reconciliation.
Citing recent visitors to the impoverished neighbor, South Korean officials said last month that the North is believed to be stepping up its quarantine efforts after outbreaks were reported.
South and North Korea are divided by one of the world's most heavily fortified borders. Most cross-border exchanges have come to a halt over the last three years.
Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious and affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs, deer, goats and sheep. The disease causes blisters on the mouth and feet of livestock and leads to death. It is rarely transmitted to humans.
North Korea has banned the inflow of pork and beef from South Korea since late last year for fear that the disease may spread there.
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