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Gyeyang District Office chief says lovebug control 'difficult' as insects are 'beneficial'

Published: 03 Jul. 2025, 17:54

Swarms of lovebugs cling to the summit marker and surrounding areas on Mount Gyeyang in Incheon on the afternoon of June 30. [NEWS1]

As swarms of lovebugs turn Mount Gyeyang in Incheon into a writhing black carpet, the district’s top official is drawing fire — not for failing to kill the bugs, but for effectively telling residents to accept the situation.

Yoon Hwan, head of the Gyeyang District Office, said that aggressive pest control measures against the recent swarms of lovebugs are “difficult” because the insects are considered “beneficial.”

“This is a sudden situation that arose this year, and there are limits to our response,” Yoon said during a press conference marking his third year in office on Wednesday. “We’ve received so many complaints that I couldn’t sleep whenever I heard the word ‘lovebug.’”

He added, “Mount Gyeyang offers a highly favorable habitat, which is probably why the bugs have gathered there. If they were harmful pests, we could sterilize the area, but because they’re beneficial to the soil, we’ve been unable to take more forceful measures.”

Yoon also said, “There are times when the public needs to show some patience. If we had eradicated them completely, environmental groups would have strongly protested."

Civic groups recently protested against ordinances supporting large-scale insect control, particularly on lovebugs, in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Council building in central Seoul on June 27.

“Because lovebugs are not harmful insects, I don’t believe full-scale extermination is the right response,” he continued. “However, it is the district’s role to ensure residents are not inconvenienced or subjected to foul odors.”

A total of 359 complaints related to the lovebugs were filed with the district between June 23 and 27. The number surged after videos of trails in Mount Gyeyang covered in the insects were uploaded to social media since last Saturday, prompting dozens of complaints each day.

The footage showed lovebugs densely clinging to hiking paths and swarming near the summit. Dead bugs were piled so thickly on deck stairs and rest areas that the ground beneath them was no longer visible.

However, experts have said that overly aggressive pest control could disrupt the ecosystem, making a strong response difficult. As a first step, the district is focusing on removing the dead insects using air blowers and water sprays in the most affected areas.

Sticky traps — which the insects cannot easily escape from once they latch on — have been installed near the summit, with further mitigation measures planned.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]