French anger over Korean decision to screen arrivals from Paris for 'bedbug fears' | Variety

ByAugusto Kilone

French activists and bloggers reacted angrily to the decision of the Korean authorities to allocate a dog to detect bedbugs on travelers arriving from France.

French media reported that the Korean authorities decided to assign the dog “Seiko” to check the bags of these travelers, for fear of the spread of bed bugs in the capital, Seoul.

Many bloggers considered this decision to be an “insult to France and its reputation”, and expressed their dissatisfaction with this step that harms the image of their country. Activist Marcel Ivan commented sarcastically on the subject, saying: “It seems that there is new news related to French influence in the rest of the world.”

Ceco, South Korea's first bedbug sniffing dog, demonstrates bed bug detection on luggage at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, August 8, 2024. Yonhap via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVE. SOUTH KOREA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SOUTH KOREA.
Many bloggers considered this decision to be an “insult to France and its reputation” (Reuters)

Blogger Thuraya commented: “This only happens if you come back from Paris. Good morning, reputation.” Blogger Emma had a different opinion, noting that she had a major cockroach problem during her stay in Seoul.

Reports had monitored the spread of bed bugs in the French capital, Paris, last October.

Causes of bed bug infestation

It is worth noting that bed bugs are on the move, especially through suitcases that start from hotels and end up in homes, and the increasing popularity of used furniture has led to the spread of bed bugs in homes.

Another factor that may be behind the increase in bed bug infestations is resistance to insecticides.

During the 20th century, powerful pesticides such as DDT were introduced, which were very effective against bed bugs, and cities known for their infestations such as New York and London were able to control the problem.

But over time, insects developed resistance, changing the parts of their bodies that the pesticides disabled.

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