S. Korea bans imports of Japanese poultry after bird flu outbreak

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's government said Friday that it has banned imports of Japanese poultry following the outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm there.

Japan earlier confirmed the outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of avian influenza at a poultry farm in Mitoyo City in Kagawa Prefecture.

According to Seoul's agriculture ministry, the imports ban will be applied to poultry goods, including chickens and eggs produced in Japan.

"As highly pathogenic AI has been found in the Netherlands, Britain and even Japan recently, we will conduct in-depth investigation into all live poultry being imported," a ministry official said.

"We will also strengthen efforts for information collection and analysis with regards to overseas outbreaks of animal diseases," the official added.
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