Over 1,000 Cases of Noise Conflicts Between Floors Annually
Neighbor Disputes Sometimes Escalate to Crime
Experts: "Pet Ownership Households Will Increase... Legislation on Floor Dog Noise Needed"
As the number of households with pets increases, more residents are complaining about so-called 'floor dog noise.' The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Pixabay
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] # Kim, a man in his 30s living in an apartment, has been under considerable stress recently due to a neighbor's dog barking incessantly day and night. Kim said, "One day, the dog was barking from morning, so I spoke directly to the owner. But all I got was an apology, and nothing changed afterward." He added, "It seems the owner doesn't really take any measures. I used to like dogs, but hearing forced barking every day is very distressing." He raised his voice, saying, "I don't mind people raising dogs, but at least they shouldn't cause trouble for neighbors."
As the number of households raising pets in apartments and other residences increases, more neighbors are complaining about so-called 'cheung-gyeon (dog) noise.' Cheung-gyeon noise is a newly coined term combining 'floor' noise and the Chinese character for dog (犬), referring to noise caused by companion dogs. Since there is no proper legal basis to regulate cheung-gyeon noise under current laws, conflicts between neighbors have become more severe.
In particular, cheung-gyeon noise issues have escalated beyond simple conflicts or disputes, sometimes leading to serious crimes such as murder or arson, becoming a social problem. Experts urge the enactment of related laws, anticipating that the number of households raising pets will continue to increase.
As the pet-owning population has grown to 15 million, related complaints have also increased. According to data collected by Seoul City from its 25 districts, complaints about pet noise were ▲1,377 cases in 2015 ▲1,503 cases in 2016 ▲1,731 cases in 2017 ▲1,617 cases in 2018. Pet noise complaints in Seoul alone exceed 1,000 cases annually.
Lee, a man in his 20s living in an apartment, also expressed stress caused by a neighbor's dog. Lee said, "The dog next door keeps barking even at night, so I can't sleep deeply," adding, "Also, when I open the door to go out, the dog barks fiercely, which startles me." He further said, "If you want to raise a dog, shouldn't you move to a detached house or somewhere that doesn't bother neighbors? It seems inconsiderate."
Noise caused by dogs is considerable. According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Environmental Bureau in Japan, the sound of a dog barking is about 90 to 100 decibels (dB), comparable to the noise level of a subway or an electric drill. In particular, small dogs produce noise around 80 dB, and large dogs around 90 dB. This means that every time a dog barks, it causes significant noise pollution to neighbors in adjacent or upper units.
The problem lies in the fact that current laws do not provide adequate means to regulate cheung-gyeon noise. Article 2, Paragraph 1 of the Noise and Vibration Control Act defines floor noise as "loud sounds caused by human activities." Noise caused by companion animals is excluded from floor noise regulation.
Ultimately, the only recourse for those suffering from cheung-gyeon noise is to file a lawsuit for damages. However, it is difficult to prove mental and physical harm to obtain a favorable judgment for compensation.
Given this situation, there are frequent cases where residents, unable to endure pet noise, confront their neighbors directly. Emotions can escalate in these confrontations, sometimes leading to crimes.
Earlier in July, a man in his 50s, Mr. A, was arrested by the police for electrocuting two neighbor dogs, citing the dogs' loud barking as the reason. Mr. A is accused of killing the two dogs by sending over 600 volts of electricity through an electric battery. During police investigation, he stated that he did it because the neighbor's dogs were barking loudly.
Meanwhile, in January, a man in his 40s, Mr. B, was fined after being charged with beating a neighbor's dog to death with a wooden stick. In September of the previous year, in Yangsan City, Gyeongnam Province, Mr. B was accused of repeatedly hitting two dogs tied in front of a detached house with a wooden stick made from a broken no-parking signpost because the dogs were barking loudly, resulting in the death of one dog.
Experts express concern that the cheung-gyeon noise problem will become more serious in the future and call for the enactment of related laws. Lee Wonbok, head of the Korea Animal Protection Union, said, "The number of households raising companion animals is expected to increase further. Therefore, the problem of floor noise caused by pets may also become more severe," emphasizing, "It is necessary to enact related laws to mediate conflicts and disputes between neighbors."
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