Spatiotemporal Distribution Patterns of Pine Wilt Disease-Affected Trees in the Republic of Korea

Pine wilt disease (PWD), a major forest disease, has spread across the Republic of Korea since its first reported occurrence in 1988. Control measures are implemented only once damage is confirmed, and they are planned within administrative boundaries, even though the disease may spread across regions. Consequently, both national and regional distribution patterns must be examined. This study was conducted to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of PWD between 2021 and 2024 using nationwide inspection records. Spatial clustering was assessed using Global Moran’s I, local concentrations were identified through Hot Spot Analysis, and the movement and orientation of distribution centers were tracked using Mean Center and Standard Deviational Ellipse analyses. Across all years, Moran’s I values ranged from 0.32 to 0.41, indicating significant spatial clustering. Hot spot areas continued to expand until 2024. The Daegu–Gyeongbuk region consistently exhibited the highest proportion of hot spots, while the Daejeon–Sejong–Chungnam region showed notable increases in later years. The center of the detected distribution shifted from a northeastward to a northwestward direction, and regional distribution patterns varied in terms of both contraction and expansion. These findings demonstrate that the detected distribution of PWD does not follow a uniform national pattern but develops heterogeneously across regions, providing baseline information for early monitoring and region-specific control strategies.