Calls grow for resolving interfloor noise conflicts after Seoul apartment fire

Amid speculation that Monday’s apartment fire in Gwanak-gu, southern Seoul, may be linked to the arsonist’s ongoing dispute with neighbors over interfloor noise, criticism is mounting over the government’s failure to prevent such conflicts from escalating into serious crimes.

On Monday morning, a fire broke out on the fourth floor of a 21-story apartment building in southern Seoul that left six residents injured and the suspected arsonist dead. The suspect, according to authorities, lived on the third floor of the apartment building and frequently fought with his upstairs neighbors over noise complaints.

Though authorities have not confirmed whether Monday’s fire is related to the prime suspect’s interfloor noise disputes, this is not the first time Korea has seen disputes between neighbors escalate.

In January 2024, a man in his 50s was arrested for killing his upstairs neighbor in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, after he and the victim had ongoing disputes over the noise the victim made. The suspect at the time claimed to have harbored resentment against the victim because she tended to slam her front door.

As most homes in Korea are in multiunit residential buildings — with more than 90 percent of homes in Seoul being in multihousehold buildings according to the Seoul Research Data Service — interfloor noise between neighbors has been a consistent issue.

According to data released by the Korea National Police Agency, up to 137,912 reports were made to the police from 2021 to 2024 regarding interfloor noise, with an average of 160 reports being made daily. The report added that more than 50 percent of such reports ended with violence-related cases, underscoring the high potential for noise disputes to escalate.

To minimize interfloor noise in newly constructed apartments, Korea has implemented specific regulations ensuring that interfloor noise does not exceed 39 decibels by mandating the usage of thicker floor slabs of up to 25 centimeters with high performance cushioning material such as multi-layer pads and resilient rubber.

In order to make sure inter-floor noise standards are met, a standard impact sound machine takes measurements of sounds generated through different floors by focusing on how good the floor slabs are from stopping certain noises from passing through the floor slabs.

However, as such standards only apply to newly built multihousehold residences, criticism has mounted toward the government for turning a blind eye toward existing apartments.

To minimize interfloor noise conflicts, experts suggest stricter indoor noise level standards to be in place by law and for more diligent action to be taken by authorities once a report is made.

“Interfloor noises of 39 dB during the day and 34 dB at night are considered as acceptable sound levels by law in Korea,” architecture professor Hong Sung-gul from Seoul National University told The Korea Herald.

“However, these standards are not high enough as they do not reflect the real-life distress caused by inter-floor noise. Korea should adopt the World Health Organization’s standards, as they are much stricter.”

The WHO recommends inter-floor noise levels of 35 dB during the day and 30 dB at night based on potential health impacts.

“Once such stricter noise level standards are applied, stricter response measures must be taken by authorities against those who are making such noises instead of just letting such reports pass with just a mere warning,” Hong added. "Passing off such reports with a warning is what creates potential for escalating into a serious crime."