"9 Times+α the Cost of Cockroach Control"...Small Lodging Operators Struggle with Bedbug Eradication

Bedbug Extermination Costs 4.5 Million KRW for 20 Rooms
Small Gosiwon and Motels Say "Burden is Heavy"

Bedbugs, which were believed to have been virtually eradicated in South Korea 40 years ago, have recently been appearing nationwide, causing headaches for self-employed lodging business owners. The cost of pest control is about nine times higher than that for common cockroaches, making it a significant burden for relatively small-scale establishments such as goshiwons and motels.

When the surface of a desk in a goshiwon in Seoul was lifted, bedbugs were revealed. [Image source=One Stop Pest Control]

On the 3rd, Asia Economy inquired with four pest control companies and found that the cost to exterminate cockroaches in a lodging facility with 20 rooms of about 26㎡ (approximately 8 pyeong) is typically around 350,000 to 500,000 KRW. In contrast, the cost to exterminate bedbugs usually ranges from 650,000 to 1,000,000 KRW per treatment. Moreover, since a single treatment is not sufficient, 2 to 4 treatments are required, and an additional 500,000 KRW is needed for removing bedbug carcasses. Once bedbugs appear, pest control costs alone can reach 4.5 million KRW, with many cases requiring additional treatments.

The reason bedbug extermination is expensive is due to the complexity of the pest control process. For cockroach extermination, the process is completed by installing cockroach bait and conducting insecticide disinfection on external cockroach entry points such as drains and sewage pipes. However, for bedbugs, the room must be fumigated, multiple insecticide treatments must be performed throughout the entire room, and bedbug carcasses must be removed. This process requires moving all furniture and inspecting even between curtains, making it very labor-intensive. Furthermore, the establishment cannot operate the affected room for about five days during the pest control. Jeong Ui-seok, CEO of One-Stop Pest Control, said, "Cockroaches can be exterminated with a single chemical treatment, but bedbugs cannot. In addition to chemical treatments, physical pest control such as inspecting suspected bedbug locations and vacuuming must be performed multiple times."

Lodging business owners express their frustration. Kim (34, male), who runs a goshiwon near Sinchon Station in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, said, "If bedbugs appear in a room, in severe cases, all furniture must be replaced and compensation must be paid for guests' clothing." He added, "After the bedbug issue arose, I spent 5 million KRW on pest control, but there are many managers around who have spent 10 to 20 million KRW." He continued, "Even if we work hard on pest control, we cannot catch bedbugs that come attached to foreign guests' clothes. Once bedbugs appear in one room, they quickly spread to nearby rooms, so we are considering whether to stop catering to foreign guests, even though they are a major source of income." Song (73, male), who operates a motel in front of Ewha Womans University, also said, "How many lodging businesses are run by wealthy people? You can't just swat them with a fly swatter, it's frustrating." He added, "We currently spend about 100,000 KRW monthly on pest management, but bedbug extermination costs are high, and having to close for treatments causes significant damage."

Local governments have stepped in to support bedbug extermination costs. Seoul City has decided to urgently allocate a budget of 500 million KRW to prevent and control bedbugs in hygiene-vulnerable facilities such as goshiwons. The city aims to encourage private sectors to continuously monitor bedbug occurrences and respond promptly. Park Yu-mi, Director of the Seoul City Citizen Health Bureau, said, "Although bedbugs are not disease-carrying pests, they cause discomfort from bloodsucking, allergies, and psychological and economic damage, so we will respond proactively."

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