Korean bedbugs can ‘survive even when dumped in a bottle of insecticide’

Social Affairs

Published: 03 Nov. 2023, 18:08

Korean bedbugs can ‘survive even when dumped in a bottle of insecticide’

Cleaning professionals spray pesticides to control and deter bedbugs at a dormitory at Keimyung University in Daegu on Oct. 19. [NEWS1]

The government’s recent recommendation to use pyrethroid insecticide in killing bedbugs is stirring up controversy as research released in April found the bug repellent ineffective.

According to the research, the bedbugs in Korea have already built up tolerance against the insecticide.

Bedbugs, which have been a significant concern in major cities like Paris since earlier this year, have recently become a growing issue in Korea as well.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo, the National Institute of Environmental Research under the Ministry of Environment gave a list of insecticides that would kill off bedbugs to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The list included insecticides that contained Permethrin and Deltamethrin, both of which are substances belonging to the pyrethroid family.

The KDCA then sent a guideline that was based on the lists to each and every government department.

The guideline recommends spraying the insecticides in corners where the bedbugs are likely to infest.

However, a study published by a research team at Seoul National University found the insecticide ineffective.

The paper states that all of the tropical bedbugs or Cimex hemipterus on the Peninsula in 2021 have developed strong resistance against pyrethroid insecticide.

“Nearly all traced bedbugs used for the research proved to be resistant to pyrethroid insecticides,” said Lee Si-hyeock, a biology and chemistry professor at Seoul National University. “The pests can still survive even when dumped in a bottle of insecticide.”

The professor said the bedbugs had a resistance that is 20,000 stronger than the pesticide.

“Bedbugs are pests that cause severe physical pain and mental illness,” Lee said.

“We have to keep monitoring the bedbug infestation while considering the use of other types of insecticides other than pyrethroid insecticides,” Lee added.

An official at the National Institute of Environmental Research said they only handed over the lists of insecticides that had been approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

“We have to be very careful on the use of insecticides,” said an official at the Environment Ministry. “We can only use those that has been authorized.”

The SNU research team said they are working on insecticides that are not pyrethroid but effective.

A bedbug caught by a resident at home in Songpa District, southern Seoul [PROVIDED BY THE RESIDENT, JOONGANG ILBO]

There are growing number of people that are taking self-precaution as the infestation of bedbugs is now spreading to regular households.

Some of the people are now using steam in ironing their shirt and pants.

“I received a message from the district office that a bedbug has been detected in our neighborhoods,” said a Gangnam District residence, who requested not to be identified. “But I have never been given related guidelines.”

“They say even when spending 1 million won ($756) on professional exterminator, they can’t guarantee a complete extermination,” the resident added. “It’s frustrating that the only answer that we have at home is taking self-precaution.”

The KDCA says the extermination of the bedbug is not their responsibility as it is not an infectious disease like the Covid-19 virus.

“Although the extermination of bedbug is the responsibility of the local government, it is not the job of the local government to be responsible for the sanitization at regular households,” a KDCA official said.

BY JEONG EUN-HYE, SONG DA-JEONG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]