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Issuance of Complaint Forecast, Following a 2.8-fold Rise in "Bedbugs" Complaints Compared to the Pr
- Date2023-12-26
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Issuance of Complaint Forecast, Following a 2.8-fold Rise in “Bedbugs” Complaints Compared to the Previous Week - ACRC has requested relevant agencies to take thorough actions, such as enhancing disinfection measures focused on multiuse facilities and conducting preemptive prevention (15, Nov, 2023, ACRC) |
Recently across the country, the voices of citizens have continuously urged for the strengthening of preventive measures, ed by consecutive cases of bedbug detection and bites.
The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Kim Hong-Il) analyzed civil complaints received through the Civil Complaint Analysis System＊ for the week spanning from October 30 to November 5 and confirmed that the number of bedbug-related complaints increased by 181.1% from 37 last week to 104 cases.
* ACRC’s pan-governmental civil complaint analysis system designed to comprehensively collect and analyze civil complaints big data received through the e-People platform and civil complaints channels of local governments
In this regard, ACRC issued a civil complaint forecast concerning “the prevention of the spread of bedbugs,” and urged relevant agencies to implement thorough measures in order to prevent the suffering faced by citizens due to bedbugs.
Key civil complaints regarding “bedbugs” received over the past week included requests for ▴enhancing preventive measures focused on multiuse facilities, ▴implementing preemptive preventive measures, and ▴promoting ways to control bedbugs.
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[Requests to strengthen the preventive measures focused on multiuse facilities]
▪ (Public transportation) I want fabric seats of subways and KTX replaced with plastic or stainless material. The fabric seats have serious issues concerning not only bedbugs but also mites, dust, mold, and germs. I am reluctant to use the subway due to concerns over bringing bedbugs home from public transportation and do not sit when I do use it. Please conduct a complete replacement of fabric seats. (Nov.5)
▪ (Accommodations) Please ensure that accommodations post a completion notice of bedbug disinfection or inform the completion of disinfection on website. This will provide reassurance to people who visit accommodations as guests are anxious about bedbugs and accommodations are also suffering from the bedbug infestation. (Nov. 3)
▪ (Logistic centers) Bedbugs can be transported through delivery boxes across the country. Please ensure that logistic centers thoroughly disinfect delivery boxes. (Oct. 30)
▪ (Others) Please disinfect areas with fabric seats, including lecture rooms at universities, arenas, and theaters. Please carry out intensive inspections and pest control at hostels, dormitories, Korean-style spa, large supermarkets, shopping centers, as well as facilities for kids and teenagers. (Nov. 1)
[Request for preemptive prevention measures]
▪ I live in a region where many industrial complexes are located, so there is a high influx of foreigners, and many others commute from Seoul. There have been no reports of bedbug incidents in the region yet, but I believe that it is the best way to prevent the infestation in advance since eradication of bedbugs is challenging. Please conduct preemptive disinfection and prevention measures rather than addressing issues after their occurrence. (Oct. 26)
▪ My child is going on a school trip to Seoul this week, and I am concerned about the hygiene and cleanliness of the accommodation. If children return home from places where bedbugs reside, it could lead to a bedbug infestation in our region. Please ensure that the hygiene conditions of the accommodation are inspected before departure. (Nov. 6)
▪ I heard about bedbugs being found near my home. Bedbugs are not infectious disease vectors, which is why they are not subject to mandatory reporting, so once they are spread, controlling them becomes incredibly challenging. Please take measures as bedbugs spread fast. (Oct. 24)
[Request for enhanced promotion of the methods to control bedbugs]
▪ (Governmental measures) Please inform citizens with the government’s measures and plans to prevent the spread of bedbugs. In particular, I would like to know how the government is preparing to address the spread of bedbugs resulting from the use of public transportation. Please conduct preventive measures actively to alleviate citizens’ anxiety and put emphasis on daily prevention practices. In addition, we need to know guidance on handling situations where bedbugs are discovered at home or in public transportation. Furthermore, I want to know effective insecticides to prevent bedbugs, among which are reported to and approved by the Ministry of Environment. It is challenging to identify which insecticides in the market work for bedbugs. It would be helpful to know the ways to find those insecticides easily. (Oct. 31)
▪ (Local government’s measures) Bedbug-related issues have been covered daily on the news. With regard to this matter, I want to know what kind of preventive measures are taken by local governments and whether there are prevention plans to prevent bedbugs and curb the spread of bedbugs. (Nov. 1)
▪ (Request for crackdown on fraudulent and exaggerated advertisements) There is an increasing number of products (bedding vacuum cleaners, high-temperature steamers, etc.) being advertised to kill bedbugs without proper verification procedures. Please review these exaggerated advertisements and errors on product labels and issue warnings. (Oct. 31)
▪ (Request for the promotion of correcting misinformation on preventive measures) Misinformation about bedbug prevention, such as scattering diatomaceous earth on floors or claiming that cockroaches are natural enemies of bedbugs, etc. has been spreading on the internet. Diatomaceous earth can be harmful to humans if inhaled or ingested, which is why it should not be scattered indoors. Please correct the misinformation. (Oct. 31) |
ACRC will conduct post-management for the governmental innovation by monitoring the trends in civil complaints through the civil complaint analysis system regarding the complaints for which forecasts have been issued.
In addition, ACRC released the big data trends for the first week of November by analyzing civil complaints collected through the civil complaint analysis system over the past week.
Other significant civil complaints, apart from those related to preventing the spread of bedbugs, included requests from residents for a performance of guaranteed obligations and loan extensions since the performance of guaranteed obligations for leased apartment deposits has been delayed.
Another major civil complaint was about requests from residents of Namyangju, urging adherence to the original construction plan of Suseokdaegyo, which was initially designed as a six-lane road directly connected to Misa Gangbyeon main road, being downscaled later to a four-lane road with bypass access.
At the same time, the number of civil complaints collected in the first week of November totaled 292,287, showing a 1.0% increase compared to the previous week (289,381).
With regard to the number of civil complaints compared to last week by regions, there was an increase in Sejong (8.9%), Gyeongnam (8.4%), etc., while a decrease was observed in Incheon (8.6%), Daegu (6.8%), etc.
By sectors, there was an increase in the welfare sector, such as requests for augmenting the number of national and public nurseries in △△ district of ○○-si, followed by the city sector, such as requests for implementing measures to address the alterations of use as living accommodations.
ACRC has been releasing diverse civil complaint analysis s, including “Voices of the people,” which presents the trend of civil complaint big data, on its website (bigdata.epeople.go.kr) to ensure that all citizens have easy access to information whenever needed.
