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(Joint release) Enhanced wildlife management to prevent zoonotic virus such as COVID-19

Date:
2020-06-03
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▷(Import Licence) Establishing comprehensive wildlife tracking·management system & import reporting to strengthen the capacity of management on the source of zoonoses

▷(Quarantine·Customs Clearance) Newly designating amphibians and reptiles to quarantine & dedicating ports to address quarantine and customs blind spots

▷(Market Circulation) Improving visitors' safety by strengthening sanitation standard for small-sized exhibitions/shops, and establishing zoonosis management standard on zoo animals

▷(Disease Control) Adding zoonosis risk as a new item to the wild animal risk assessment


On June 3rd, the 107th National Affairs Monitoring and Coordination Meeting presided by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, held at the governmental Seoul office, delivered and ed the Improved Management Proposal Document of Alien Wildlife」 which was developed from inter-ministerial consultations led by the Office for Government Policy Coordination (Minister Koo Yun-cheol).


* (Attendance)

Ministers of the Ministry of Finance and Strategy, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science ICT, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, Minister of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, Commissioner of the Statistics Korea, Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, Fire Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, Commissioner of the Korea Coast Guard, Minister of the Korea Forest Service, Administrator of the Korea Meteorological Administration, Ombudsman of SMEs, and Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs of the Presidential House (Blue House).

 


The continuous global emergence of wildlife-borne zoonoses including MERS ('15) and COVID-19('20) has caused serious human and economic losses**.


*Over 60% of noble infectious diseases since the 20th century are zoonotic, among which 72% are linked with wildlife (source: KCDC)

**MERS('15): ed patients 186, mortality 38, isolated 16,693, KRW 2300 billion loss (Korea)


However, it has been pointed out that wildlife that might flow in Korea have been managed mainly for ecosystem conservation, making it vulnerable to prevent an outbreak of wildlife-borne zoonosis.


Moreover, the number of facilities where wild animals are kept in a close distance with people such as indoor zoo and the so-called 'wildlife cafes' is increasing, a point of concern for zoonoses spread from the human-animal contact.


* △ 90 Privately-owned zoo ('19)  △ 80 'wildlife cafe' and mobile wildlife exhibition facility ('19)


The Office for Government Policy Coordination has developed the 「Improved Management Proposal Document of Alien Wildlife」* in consultation with 6 related ministries including the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Korea Customs Service, together with other individual experts.


*It analyzes the process of foreign wildlife imported in Korea by four steps of △import license △quarantine and customs clearance △ market circulation and △ disease control.


This Improvement Management Document follows the international standards based on the quarantine recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the wildlife management systems of other countries (the United States, the European Union, Australia, etc.)


The main improvements for each step are as followings.


(Import Licence) The government will establish a system that tracks and manages the non-native wildlife even after it flows in Korea.


By developing database on the alien wildlife, the current status of wildlife that has been overseen separately by 7 local environmental agencies and 226 local autonomous administrations will be accessed comprehensively, while at the same time, tracking and managing how they are circulated in the domestic market.


So far, import licence has been issued to only some wildlife (37%)* for management. From now on, the wildlife that is imported to Korea can be managed also through reporting system, including those that have not been subject to import licence.


* Among 530,000 non-native wildlife, only around 200,000 were subject to import licence ('18).


(Quarantine and Clearance) The government will quarantine wildlife, and, with joint-ministerial efforts, thoroughly inspect them at customs clearance.


For this, a new quarantine process will be established for amphibians and reptiles which have so far been exempted from quarantine. Up to now, zoonoses originated from domestic animals such as mammals and birds have been the main subject to quarantine.


*Amphibians and reptiles accounts for around 96% of the total wildlife coming in the country from overseas ('18)


In addition, high-risk groups among the wildlife that has been usual subject to quarantine will be designated in order to put these animals for a longer quarantine. For the wildlife with high risk of major zoonosis infection, a close inspection will become mandatory.


The government will also designate airports and ports dedicated to wildlife import so that the quarantine and customs clearance are to be more efficient.


At the same time, the import licence system of the Ministry of Environment and the customs system of the Korea Customs Service will be linked to each other to strengthen the wildlife customs inspection.


(Market Circulation) Standards for sanitation and zoonosis management will be established for wildlife exhibition and hands-on experience facilities.


Unlike zoo, as for small-sized business entities including 'wildlife cafe' and other exhibition/shops*, there has been management loopholes. Thus, the government will create a new business category for these entities to adequately manage them.


*Commercial shops exhibiting or selling wildlife that do not conform to the general standard for zoo (facility that owns more than 10 species or 50 units of wildlife or domestic animals)


The management practice of zoos will also be updated with enhanced zoonosis management and inspection standard. This will also help protect the visitors' health.


The update includes developing detailed breeding guideline, managing habitat condition, and setting up the standard of zoonotic virus management. It will be mandatory for zoos to comply with the updated standard.


Moreover, a list of wildlife species that are banned from personal ownership and/or commercial trade will be developed. The list is expected to prevent the wildlife with higher risk of spreading zoonoses from being released at hands-on experience facility and sold as companion animal.


(Disease Control) 'Risk of zoonoses spread' item will be added to risk assessment on alien species, and also inter-ministerial monitoring system on zoonotic virus will be enhanced.


The risk assessment* on alien species will expand to cover not just impact assessment on ecosystem but also zoonosis risk, which allows preemptively block the inflow of wildlife, especially those concerned of risk of spreading zoonotic virus.


*It assesses the risk that alien species pose on domestic ecosystem (ACT ON THE CONSERVATION AND USE OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY)


In addition, more ministries will participate in the One-Health System*; the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (Fisheries) and the Food and Drugs Administration (Food products) newly joining with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Environment. Moreover, inter-ministerial monitoring on zoonoses** will be enhanced for the related ministries to take an immediate action on any emergency situation.


* (definition) A collaborative strategy that brings together human, animal, and environment health for disease prevention and control 


**Integrating the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Infectious Disease Surveillance System) - the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (Korea Animal Health Integrated System, KAHIS) - the Ministry of Environment (Wildlife Disease Information System)- the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (National Fishguard Monitor) - the Korea Customs Service (Single Window)


For this Improved Management Proposal to be effectively executed, the Office for Government Policy Coordination will carry out semi-annual monitoring on detailed action plan of each ministry.