Spreading fear of bedbugs alters daily lives of Koreans

Public officials of Guro District in Seoul inspect a room at a local accommodation facility, Tuesday, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of bedbugs. Yonhap

Kim Sang-hee, 32, who commutes to and from work by subway in Seoul, does not sit during her rides these days even when there is an empty seat, because of fears of bedbugs that have been spreading nationwide recently.

She is particularly concerned as she takes Seoul subway Line No. 1 to go to her office near Jonggak Station, which is the oldest section of the Seoul subway system.

“Trains on Line No. 1 are mostly old, and many of them have seats made of fabric that could become a good home for bedbugs,” Kim said on Tuesday. “I am worried that I could be bitten by bedbugs before I know it.”

Korea has recently seen a surge in bedbug sightings and damage nationwide since Keimyung University, located in Daegu, reported in September that some of its students were bitten by the parasitic insects in their dormitory.

Workers disinfect a domitory at Keimyung University in Daegu, Oct. 19, after bedbugs were found in the facility in September. Yonhap

Other related cases have since been reported across the country, including the Seoul metropolitan area. There were media reports of bedbugs and larvae found under floor mats at a public sauna in Incheon in October.

In Seoul alone, nearly 20 reports of suspected bedbug sightings have been filed so far, raising concerns of a possible infestation in the densely populated capital of 9.4 million people.

Bedbugs do not transmit infectious diseases, but feed on blood, causing skin rashes, itchiness or allergic symptoms.

Adding to concerns is that bedbugs can survive for about 100 days, and it is difficult to eterminate them due to their high reproduction rate.

Lim Myung-woo, 37, who runs a private English and mathematics academy with his wife in Incheon, stopped going to movie theaters, although it was the only hobby the couple enjoyed before going to work in the afternoon.

“We used to see movies at reduced admission fees in the morning, because we open our academy in the afternoon. But we decided to stop going to theaters for a while as we are worried about bedbug bites or carrying them to our workplace or home,” Lim said.

Kim Jin-hye, 40, an office worker who lives in Dongjak District in Seoul, was terrified when she saw a bug on a curtain in her living room, as she thought it was a bedbug.

“My husband caught the bug and told me it wasn't a bedbug. That was a big relief,” Kim said. “But I am always worried about by husband who frequently goes on business trips across the country, as during the trips, he has no choice but to stay at accommodations when there are many reports about bedbugs nationwide.”

In Korea, bedbugs were nearly eradicated via nationwide disinfection campaigns in the 1960s.

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But an increasing number of bedbug sightings in recent months have put health authorities and local governments on high alert.

The Korea Disease Control Agency (KDCA) said on Monday that it was considering introducing a new insecticide as the bedbugs here have already built up tolerance against existing chemicals.

“Other countries have already been using new insecticides due to the bedbugs’ tolerance,” a KDCA official said. “We are in talks with the Ministry of Environment to introduce a new one.”

The Seoul Metropolitan Government began inspecting more than 3,000 public baths, saunas, hotels and other establishments to deal with a potential infestation in the capital under an initiative called the “zero-bedbug city project.”

The city government has also enhanced preventive measures against bedbugs on airport limousines and city tour buses, based on increasing fears that the parasitic insects were brought into the country clinging to the belongings of tourists.

“We will enhance preemptive measures as bedbugs cause serious damage economically and psychologically,” said Park Yoo-mi, an official in charge of citizens’ health at the city government.

Gyeonggi Province plans to inspect more than 5,000 accommodations and saunas by the end of this month to see if any of them need to be disinfected.