Plastic raw materials production volume capacity South Korea 2023, by material type

In 2023, polypropylene (PP) had the highest production capacity among synthetic resins in South Korea, with over six million tons. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) had the second-highest production capacity, with approximately 3.7 million tons. 

Growth of plastic manufacturing in South Korea

The usage of plastics has grown and has been applied in diverse industries such as packaging, automotive, construction, and electronics. This led to plastics becoming one of the country’s major export commodities. South Korea’s plastics and related products have been mainly exported to Asia, such as China.

Plastic waste in South Korea

As the usage of plastics and related products has increased, plastic waste, especially from households, has also risen over the years. In particular, food packaging, led by major food manufacturers such as Lotte Chilsung and CJ CheilJedang, made up the large majority of household plastic waste.