The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency revealed on the 20th that among the 8,117,455 inspections of imported plants from 2021 to 2025, 27,930 cases of regulated pests and diseases were confirmed. Particularly, many pests were detected in Chinese chrysanthemum cut flowers, Dutch floral cut flowers, Thai durians, American juniper wood, and Vietnamese wood pellets. The agency plans to induce prior hygiene improvements for countries with frequent outbreaks of pests and diseases and to consider emergency import restrictions if necessary. [Provided by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency] (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Yoon-gu = The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency revealed on the 20th that among the 8,117,455 inspections of imported plants from 2021 to 2025, 27,930 cases of regulated pests and diseases were confirmed. Regulated pests and diseases are those that are considered to cause significant harm to plants if measures such as disinfection and disposal are not taken, and are divided into prohibited pests and diseases and managed pests and diseases. The detection rate of regulated pests and diseases averaged 0.3% over the past five years, a slight increase from 0.2% in 2016-2020. Pests accounted for 86% of the total at 23,356 cases, with 3,598 cases of pathogens and 139 cases of weeds. In particular, six types of prohibited pests and diseases, including banana root rot nematode (102 cases) and potato tuber wart (72 cases), totaling 183 cases, were detected. By country, the highest number of detections were from China, the Netherlands, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam in that order. Particularly, many pests were detected in Chinese chrysanthemum cut flowers, Dutch floral cut flowers, Thai durians, American juniper wood, and Vietnamese wood pellets. The agency plans to induce prior hygiene improvements for countries with frequent outbreaks of pests and diseases and to consider emergency import restrictions if necessary. It also plans to train specialized personnel tailored to specialized items at each inspection site to strengthen the capacity for precise inspections. Agency Director Choi Jeong-rok said, "The risk of overseas pests and diseases entering the country is increasing due to the expansion of global trade and climate change," and added, "We will do our best to protect agriculture and the ecosystem through a data-based and scientific quarantine system."