Complaints to the Seoul Metropolitan Government requesting cockroach extermination surged from 2,379 in 2021 to 11,789 last year — roughly fivefold in five years — according to data released Tuesday by Kim Wi-sang, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee. [Getty Images Bank]
Complaints to the Seoul Metropolitan Government requesting cockroach extermination surged from 2,379 in 2021 to 11,789 last year — roughly fivefold in five years — according to data released Tuesday by Kim Wi-sang, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee. [Getty Images Bank]

Cockroach-related complaints filed with the Seoul Metropolitan Government have surged over the past five years.

According to data obtained from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and released Tuesday by Kim Wi-sang, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, complaints requesting cockroach extermination jumped from 2,379 in 2021 to 11,789 last year — roughly a fivefold increase in five years.

The figures show a steady upward trend year by year: 2,379 in 2021, 3,905 in 2022, 5,470 in 2023, 7,241 in 2024 and 11,789 in 2025.

This year, 6,158 complaints had already been filed through June, surpassing half of last year's full-year total.

Given that cockroach activity intensifies during hot summer months, the annual count is expected to exceed last year's record.

The problem drew wide attention online after videos circulated showing dozens of cockroaches swarming around benches and flower beds at Seoullo 7017 — a former elevated highway converted into a linear park that has since become a popular attraction — prompting reactions from Seoul residents and foreign visitors alike.

Kim attributed the surge to a combination of hotter, more humid conditions driven by climate change and the deterioration of aging urban infrastructure.

As temperatures rise and humidity increases, cockroaches survive winters at higher rates and remain active for longer periods throughout the year.

Seoul's average annual temperature has climbed steadily, from 13.2 degrees Celsius in 2022 to 14.1 degrees in 2023 and 14.9 degrees in 2024.

Urban aging has also played a role. According to the Seoul Institute, 58.9 percent of all buildings in Seoul as of 2024 are more than 30 years old. Because cockroaches are nocturnal and tend to hide in cracks and crevices away from light, older buildings offer particularly favorable conditions for them to thrive.

"The longer redevelopment and reconstruction projects are delayed and the more aging housing stock accumulates, the more it can contribute to cockroach proliferation," Kim said. "Urban aging compounded by climate change is a major driver of the surge in pest-related complaints, making it urgent to build a proactive and comprehensive pest-control network."

He added that stalled urban renewal projects need to be accelerated to create living environments where pests find it harder to take hold.


shindw@heraldcorp.com