Pines Turning Red and Dying as Pine Wilt Disease Spreads Nationwide

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The number of pine trees withered and dying from pine wilt disease has nearly doubled nationwide over the past two years. Experts point out that the realistic alternative to saving the remaining pine trees is to resolutely abandon forests that have already spread beyond control and concentrate prevention capabilities on forests of high conservation value.

Reporter Dong Eunyeong has the story.

[Reporter]

Pine tree logging work is in full swing on a mountain in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.

Trees have turned red along the middle of the mountain.

At first glance, it looks like autumn foliage, but these trees are actually dying from pine wilt disease.

Experts believe that the pine wilt disease, which was introduced from Japan to the Yeongnam region in the late 1980s, is currently experiencing its third major outbreak, nearing its peak.

In fact, surveys show that the number of infected trees nationwide, which stood at 900,000 two years ago, has nearly doubled this year.

While damage remains concentrated in the Yeongnam region, the disease is spreading to various parts of the country, with infected trees having been found in places like Guryongsan and Bukhasan in Gangnam, Seoul, early this year.

This is largely due to climate change, such as abnormal high temperatures, which has extended the active period of vector insects.

[Jang Woo-sung / Head of Forest Protection Team, Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province : The timing for vector insects to hatch and emerge continues to get earlier as temperatures rise. Previously, hatching occurred around early May, but now it has been pulled up to mid-April.]

If infected trees are left unattended, they become completely dried out and can threaten human safety.

The possibility of them collapsing due to strong winds and other factors increases, and dead trees near roads, in particular, can lead to major accidents.

[Seo Jae-cheol / Senior Specialist, Green Korea United : When a car is running on a highway, even a single golf ball dropping is dangerous. Imagine a tree about 10 meters tall and 20 to 30 centimeters in diameter flying toward you. It will directly threaten road or railway safety.]

Pointers are emerging that infected trees should be removed promptly and prevention-focused control policies should be actively implemented.

[Jung Jong-guk / Professor, Department of Forest Environmental Protection, Kangwon National University : It is already too late. Because the damage is severe, a form of species conversion is necessary to remove the pine trees there and replace them with other trees that are not susceptible to pine wilt disease.]

Experts advise that with limited budgets and manpower, it is time for bold selection and concentration to protect pine forests of high conservation value.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Reported by Kang Si-woo, Hangyul | Video Editing: Lee Sang-min | Design: Park Taeyoung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.