Why S. Korea finds it so difficult to go zero-plastic

Cracking down on major plastic producers will hit export competitiveness and jobs

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South Korea talks tough on plastic, but hesitates when it comes to binding global rules.

At UN-led treaty negotiations in Geneva this summer, Seoul drew fire for resisting stronger measures to curb plastic pollution - despite President Lee Jae Myung's pledge just weeks earlier to deliver a national road map for phasing out plastics by 2025.

Rather than backing proposals from countries pressing for enforceable commitments, South Korea aligned itself with delegations pushing softer language, arguing it was trying to "break the deadlock".

The talks collapsed on Aug 15, leaving South Korea's stance exposed as more cautious than its rhetoric suggests.

At home, the gap between ambition and policy is equally clear. A few years ago, the government introduced sweeping rules to cut single-use plastics, including bans on disposable cups and straws and a deposit scheme on takeaway containers. But those efforts crumbled under industry resistance.

Many of the measures have since been watered down or reintroduced as voluntary programmes, with only willing businesses or local governments participating.

For critics, the pattern raises a pointed question: Why does South Korea, a country eager to brand itself as a climate leader, struggle to turn its plastic-free promises into meaningful action?

South Korea's reluctance to go allin on zero-plastic policies begins with its economic structure. The country is home to some of the world's largest petrochemical producers - including LG Chem, Lotte Chemical and Hanwha Solutions which manufacture the resins and plastics that supply industries from packaging and consumer goods to cars and electronics.

Any attempt to cap plastic production or impose a ban on singleuse products would have an impact on these conglomerates, threatening not only export competitiveness, but also domestic jobs.