South Korean authorities today slaughtered thousands of animals after outbreaks of highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease.
With the football World Cup finals due to start on May 31, co-hosts Japan immediately banned imports of South Korean pork, beef and mutton after the disease was confirmed.
And South Korea has effectively halted all beef and pork exports by suspending quarantine inspections.
Japan had only last Monday lifted a ban on South Korean pork exports caused by a previous foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2000.
Quarantine authorities have killed and buried 8,700 pigs at a farm at Anseong about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Seoul and 45 cows at a nearby farm, according to the agriculture and forestry ministry.
Animals at other nearby farms could also be killed, officials said.
Authorities have banned all movement of livestock in the district and started a major disinfectant campaign in Gyeonggi province which surrounds the capital.
The latest outbreak comes just ahead of an expected invasion of foreign football fans for the World Cup finals which are being held in Korea and Japan from May 31.
AFP