South Korea has one of the highest rates of plastic consumption in the world. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the country generates around 88 kilograms of plastic waste per person each year, placing it well above the OECD average. This consumption pattern is intertwined with South Korea’s economic model, which has been built around petrochemicals, manufacturing, and export-driven growth. At the same time, the government has positioned itself as a pioneer in sustainability by introducing some of the strictest domestic restrictions on single-use plastics in Asia.
This tension between heavy reliance on petrochemicals and ambitious circular economy policies reveals a deeper paradox. South Korea is seeking to cut domestic plastic consumption while simultaneously exporting billions of dollars of virgin plastics and petrochemicals to global markets. The key question is whether it can reconcile these competing realities and become a true leader in the circular economy.
Plastic dependency and consumer culture
Since the 1960s, plastics and petrochemicals have been a cornerstone of industrialisation and global trade. Petrochemical exports, led by chaebols such as LG Chem, Lotte Chemical, and Hanwha Solutions, reached approximately 42 billion US dollars in 2023 according to the Korea International Trade Association. These exports provide jobs, foreign exchange, and economic stability.
Food delivery apps, online retail platforms, and café culture are significant drivers of plastic packaging waste. It is estimated that South Koreans consume two to three takeaway coffee cups per person per day in urban centres such as Seoul (see JoongAng Daily report). The beauty and cosmetics industry are equally reliant on elaborate plastic packaging.
While the country’s official recycling rate is reported to be over 60 per cent, much of this material is not actually recycled into new plastic of equivalent quality. In 2022 more than 150,000 tonnes of plastic waste were exported to Southeast Asia, raising concerns over the environmental burden being transferred beyond Korea’s borders (see Greenpeace East Asia).
Policy initiatives and government strategy
The South Korean government responded to mounting domestic and international pressure with a wave of regulatory measures. The crisis began in 2018 when China stopped importing plastic waste from other countries, forcing Korea to confront the fragility of its own waste management system. In response, the government introduced a ban on plastic bags in supermarkets, a phased ban on plastic straws and disposable cups in cafés, and mandatory recycling of transparent PET bottles for beverage containers.
In 2020 the government launched the Korean Green New Deal, which included provisions for a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy. In 2023 this was reinforced with the K-Plastic Zero 2050 strategy which set the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero plastic waste by mid-century. The plan includes expanded extended producer responsibility, improved waste collection, and investment in new recycling infrastructure.
Environmental groups such as the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements have described the strategy as a double standard in which citizens are penalised for using straws while conglomerates receive subsidies to expand their petrochemical operations.
Business responses and industry innovation
Petrochemical companies that once lobbied against stricter rules are now reframing themselves as innovators in advanced recycling and bioplastics. SK Geo Centric, formerly SK Global Chemical, has announced plans to invest 4.4 billion US dollars into a circular economy cluster in Ulsan. By 2027 this facility aims to process up to 900,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually through chemical recycling technologies such as depolymerisation and pyrolysis. LG Chem has also partnered with international firms to develop bio-based plastics and expand enzymatic recycling pilot plants.
In the consumer goods sector, companies are experimenting with more sustainable packaging models. Amorepacific, the leading beauty group, has introduced refillable cosmetics packaging and recycling collection points in department stores. CJ CheilJedang, a major food manufacturer, has developed bioplastic food trays and invested in biodegradable film for packaging. Convenience store chains are piloting reusable container schemes in partnership with start-ups that provide washing and redistribution systems.
South Korea could become a testbed for circular economy innovation, exporting recycling technology rather than plastic waste.
The circular economy challenge
Despite progress, significant challenges remain in building a truly circular plastics economy. Virgin plastic remains cheaper to produce than recycled plastic due to its link to global oil prices. Recycling infrastructure is concentrated in major metropolitan areas, leaving regional systems underdeveloped. Many plastics collected for recycling are not of sufficient quality for reuse in food-grade applications, limiting closed-loop outcomes.
Consumer behaviour adds another layer of complexity. South Koreans demonstrate strong environmental awareness but continue to value convenience. The rapid growth of food delivery and e-commerce has led to a surge in packaging waste, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. The contradiction between sustainability goals and consumer demand for convenience remains unresolved.
The contradiction between sustainability goals and consumer demand for convenience remains unresolved.
Global positioning and outlook
South Korea has the potential to leverage its technological strengths to become a global hub for circular economy solutions. Companies are already developing advanced chemical recycling, artificial intelligence-driven sorting systems, and marine biodegradable plastics. If successful, these technologies could be exported globally, shifting Korea’s role from a plastics exporter to a sustainability innovator.
International investor pressure is also accelerating change. Global funds are increasingly unwilling to back companies that fail to demonstrate credible ESG strategies. South Korea’s chaebols are responding, but whether they can implement reforms quickly enough remains uncertain.
Conclusion
South Korea stands at a crossroads. It has set ambitious policies and invested in new technologies, but its economy remains structurally dependent on plastics. Its success or failure in reconciling this paradox will determine whether an advanced industrial economy can truly pivot from petrochemicals to circularity. Businesses, investors, and consumers will all play a role in shaping the outcome, while the international community will watch closely. In Seoul’s cafés, the disappearance of the plastic straw has become a symbol of a much bigger struggle.
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