 Bird farmers fear bankruptcy |
South Korean ministers have held an emergency meeting to discuss how to contain an outbreak of bird flu, which has previously proved fatal in humans. Since the virus was discovered at a farm 80km (50 miles) south of Seoul last week, more than 200,000 chickens and ducks have been culled.
The meeting took place as another farm was found to be infected.
However, there is no proof yet that the South Korean strain of the Avian flu can infect human beings.
A variant of the virus killed seven people in Hong Kong five years ago.
The South Korean Government has deployed hundreds of troops to help slaughter and bury the birds.
They have been vaccinated against the virus.
Exports halted
No infections have been reported so far among the farm workers who have been tested.
But since the outbreak was discovered, the country's chicken and duck exports to Japan, Hong Kong and China have stopped and domestic consumption of birds has slumped.
In a bid to show that local poultry was still safe to eat, South Korean Agriculture Minister Huh Sang-man on Friday feasted on a duck lunch with other members of parliament
Local producers say the flu might put them out of business in a matter of months.
A further 405,000 birds, at least, will be culled, officials have announced.
Government officials are looking at migratory birds as a possible cause of the Korean outbreak.
One-Minute World News 
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