This undated photo shows a farm in Buk District, Gwangju, 266 kilometers south of Seoul, where cows were vaccinated to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Yonhap

Korea has confirmed a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) case at a local cattle farm, marking its first outbreak of the animal disease in nearly two years, the agriculture ministry said Friday.

The FMD case was found at a beef cattle farm in Yeongam, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul, which has some 180 cows, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The country last reported 11 FMD cases in May 2023.

FMD is an acute infectious viral disease of livestock that causes fever after the development of vesicles chiefly in the mouth and on the feet. It is one of the most infectious diseases for livestock.

All of the cattle at the farm will be culled to prevent the spread of the disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals, including pigs and goats, according to the ministry.

The ministry also issued a standstill order on all animal farms and related facilities across the nation until 8 a.m. Sunday, and began intensive quarantine work in Yeongam and adjacent cities, according to the ministry.

To prevent further cases from breaking out, the government has moved up the schedule for a nationwide FMD vaccination program, originally planned for next month, to begin later in the day, according to the ministry.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok has directed relevant ministries to implement thorough preventive measures to contain the outbreak at an early stage.

"The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs must closely cooperate with relevant agencies to swiftly carry out emergency actions, including rapid culling, entry controls, testing and disinfection, in accordance with the emergency response guidelines," Choi said.

The agriculture ministry said the latest FMD outbreak will have limited impact on the domestic beef supply as the number of cows to be culled at the Yeongam farm only accounts for 0.006 percent of all beef cattle across the country.

The ministry added it also expects little impact on exports as deals are usually made by regions.

Last year, Korea exported 49.5 tons of beef worth $2.9 million to five countries, including Malaysia, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia.

Seoul has been working to gain recognition from the World Organization for Animal Health as a country free of FMD, but failed after the disease broke out in 2023. (Yonhap)