Last Year, 1,844 Complaints About 'Light Pollution', 6 Out of 10 People Suffer from 'Sleep Disorders'

Light Pollution Complaints Peaked in 2018 and Are Declining... Seoul City to Implement Second Prevention Plan
Plan to Reduce Light Pollution Exceedance Rate by 50% by 2025

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Among 10 Seoul citizens who filed complaints about light pollution, 6 suffer from sleep disorders, and a survey revealed that light pollution caused by spatial lighting and advertising lighting accounts for 75%. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to establish and actively implement the "2nd Light Pollution Prevention Plan" by 2025 to reduce damage caused by excessive light emission.

According to Seoul City on the 24th, a survey on types of light pollution damage conducted last year showed that sleep disorders accounted for the highest number with 1,107 cases (60%). This was followed by daily life inconvenience with 354 cases (19.2%), glare with 333 cases (18.1%), and others with 50 cases (2.7%).

By type of occurrence, spatial lighting accounted for 829 cases (45%), advertising lighting 560 cases (30%), other lighting 291 cases (16.2%), decorative lighting 120 cases (6.5%), and outdoor electronic displays 44 cases (2.3%). Spatial and advertising lighting are easily encountered in daily life, which is interpreted as the reason for the high perception rate of light pollution among citizens.

However, related complaints have been on a downward trend since peaking in 2018. Light pollution complaints numbered 1,571 in 2014, exceeded 2,000 with 2,043 cases in 2016, and peaked at 2,577 cases in 2018. In 2019, the number decreased to 2,168 cases, and last year it further dropped to 1,844 cases.

Seoul City analyzed that with improved public awareness of light pollution, ongoing projects to reduce light pollution in daily life?such as replacing outdoor signboard and electronic display LED lights and improving aging street and security lights?have led to a tangible decrease in light pollution.

Starting this year, Seoul City will actively promote the 2nd Light Pollution Prevention Plan, aiming to reduce the light pollution exceedance rate from 32.7% in 2020 to 16.0% in 2025, a 50% reduction. The 2nd Light Pollution Prevention Plan focuses on protecting nighttime residential areas, establishing a systematic light pollution management system, creating good lighting spaces, and improving good lighting promotion and education measures.

Lee Moon-joo, Director of the Urban Light Policy Division of Seoul City, said, "Through the smooth implementation of the 2nd Light Pollution Prevention Plan, we will establish an institutional foundation and systematically manage urban lighting to resolve citizen inconveniences and strive to create an eco-friendly and sustainable urban environment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.