Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations

Statement: Our Position on the Nationwide Spread of Avian Influenza

On January 16, 2014, health authorities confirmed the disease found in Gochang, Jeollabuk-do as H5N8, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI). The epidemic is spreading nationwide, inflicting unprecedentedly serious loss on poultry farmers. In fact, the number of slaughtered chickens and ducks exceeded 12 million. The situation has an impact on the prices of animal feed and medications and affects the fowl meat processing industry, restaurants, and consumer price index, in addition to the direct cost associated with the government’s compensation for slaughtered fowls and sterilizing fluid. We discussed the matter at a meeting for sustainable poultry farming, and we would like to let our position known with regard to the current situation as follows:

We do not quite agree with the government’s attitude of attributing the cause of the situation to migratory birds and trying to solve the problem by merely slaughtering infected fowls to prevent the spread of the disease without taking preventive measures. What we need are efforts to take more fundamental measures against the disease.

At said meeting, we paid attention to the fact that AI first occurred in the country in 2003, and that it has become an animal disease that brings the entire country to a near-disaster situation through frequent recurrence (on five occasions over the past decade). The total loss incurred by the country over the past decade due to the disease reaches more than 600 billion won. The government estimates the amount of opportunity loss – including compensation for slaughtered fowls (more than 190 billion won) – to exceed 1 trillion won this year. On top of the enormous fiscal and spiritual loss incurred, the disease will cause the country to lose its status as an AI-free country. We find it regrettable that the government’s prevention methods and policy for coping with the disease do not guarantee that the disease will not recur in the future. Health authorities say that AI is caused by highly pathogenic viruses transmitted through migratory birds, but the cause has not been clearly pinpointed, and there are other views as to the cause; hence the possibility of tremendous social conflict.

Based on the foregoing, we express the following views:

1. Regarding H5N8, the government should set up systematic and meticulous measures against AI through multidirectional, concentrated research with the participation of domestic and international experts, since the transmission of the disease from migratory birds to domesticated ducks is merely researchers’ conjecture.

2. The government should disclose all information about AI and listen to diverse opinions on preventive and disinfection measures so that it can adopt multifaceted steps against the disease. The government should also establish a pan-social network of collaboration to put an end to the spread of AI.

3. Said disease hit the country on five occasions over the past ten years. The government has spent hundreds of billions of won in compensation for the slaughtered fowls due to AI but has not been able to develop a preventive vaccine. The governments actions are apparently focused on taking follow-up measures like slaughtering infected fowls. Needless to say, the development of a vaccine is much more important.

4. We recommend that the government set up a measure for the control of AI in collaboration with other Asian countries, which have also been affected by the disease along the route of movement of migratory birds.

We would like to stress the fact that the country needs to make a fundamental shift in the way the government deals with the disinfection system and handles the poultry farming policy to stop the occurrence of AI fundamentally. We hope the government will be able to come up with reliable measures against AI so that poultry farmers can raise fowls in a stable environment.

April 9, 2014