Religious circles are holding events to pray for an end to the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

Buddhists held a ritual at a temple in Gapyeong on December 30th to console the spirits of culled cattle. Similar events have since been held at temples nationwide including at Bongeun Temple in Seoul.

The Christian Council of Korea will designate January 16th as a fasting day and has asked member churches to collect donations for farmers and quarantine officials.

The National Council of Churches in Korea will examine the scale of the damage related to FMD in a Thursday meeting and will also hold a forum to discuss churches' countermeasures for the disease.