Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Returned to sender: 1,200 tons of Korean garbage back from Philippines
Fifty-one trash-filled containers sent from the Philippines arrive at the port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin on Feb. 3. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
More than 1,000 tons of garbage shipped to the Philippines falsely as “recyclable materials” last year have been returned to Korea.
According to the Ministry of Environment Wednesday, officials would soon look inside the 51 trash-filled containers that arrived at the port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin Sunday morning.
It is part of 6,300 tons of garbage a Korean company exported to a Philippines company in July and October. According to Korean media reports, the two companies made the deal to reduce the disposal cost, which would be less than a third of the Korean cost in the Philippines.
At the Mindanao port, the Korean company declared the trash as recyclable plastic synthetic flakes, but Philippines officials and environmentalists later found that many of the materials were not recyclable.
The ministry said it will continue looking into the case and talk to its Philippines counterpart to take care of the remaining trash.
In this May 7, 2015, file photo, Filipino environmental activists wear a mock container filled with garbage to symbolize the containers of waste that were shipped from Canada to the Philippines, as they protest outside the Canadian Embassy in Manila. AP
Activists urge Trudeau to take back Canada's trash
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau
After the Korean government's move, environmentalists in the Philippines are now stepping up pressure on the Canadian government to take responsibility for its own garbage there.
According to Canadian media, environmental activists urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take back the 103 shipping containers of largely residual household garbage after Chronic Inc., an Ontario-based plastics exporter, “exported” what was falsely declared as scrap plastics for recycling to Manila in 2013 and 2014.
Some of the waste was later dumped at a private landfill in Capas, Tarlac, angering provincial officials and nearby residents.
“The scandal has dragged on for five years without resolution, despite promises from the Canadian government to address the problem, including public statements made by yourself as prime minister,” Aileen Lucero, a coordinator for the EcoWaste Coalition, wrote in a letter to Trudeau.
“The stark contrast between South Korea's actions and Canada's indifference to its dumped waste has captured public attention and stoked anger at what is viewed as both disrespectful and illegal conduct by Canada.”