Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea
South Korea: Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports was 0 kilograms in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea, 1988–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms.
Analysis
The most recent figure for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea is 0 kilograms, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.
That represents a change of down 100.0% on the previous year and down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea peaked at 3.26 kilograms in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 kilograms, in 2022.
South Korea ranks 168th of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea, year by year
| Year | kilograms | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 0.9103 kilograms | — |
| 1989 | 0.6681 kilograms | -26.6% |
| 1990 | 0.3512 kilograms | -47.4% |
| 1991 | 0.2695 kilograms | -23.3% |
| 1992 | 0.2059 kilograms | -23.6% |
| 1993 | 0.1827 kilograms | -11.3% |
| 1994 | 0.2587 kilograms | +41.6% |
| 1995 | 0.2287 kilograms | -11.6% |
| 1996 | 0.1689 kilograms | -26.2% |
| 1997 | 0.1828 kilograms | +8.3% |
| 1998 | 0.1184 kilograms | -35.2% |
| 1999 | 0.3132 kilograms | +164.4% |
| 2000 | 0.3858 kilograms | +23.2% |
| 2001 | 0.1958 kilograms | -49.3% |
| 2002 | 0.1504 kilograms | -23.2% |
| 2003 | 0.1424 kilograms | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 0.4617 kilograms | +224.3% |
| 2005 | 0.5172 kilograms | +12.0% |
| 2006 | 0.3404 kilograms | -34.2% |
| 2007 | 0.506 kilograms | +48.6% |
| 2008 | 0.9751 kilograms | +92.7% |
| 2009 | 0.9243 kilograms | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 0.9516 kilograms | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 1.23 kilograms | +28.8% |
| 2012 | 1.36 kilograms | +11.1% |
| 2013 | 1.54 kilograms | +12.7% |
| 2014 | 1.49 kilograms | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 1.33 kilograms | -10.6% |
| 2016 | 1.16 kilograms | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 1.22 kilograms | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 2.93 kilograms | +139.2% |
| 2019 | 3.26 kilograms | +11.3% |
| 2020 | 1.78 kilograms | -45.4% |
| 2021 | 0.8878 kilograms | -50.1% |
| 2022 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0.6494 kilograms | — |
| 2024 | 0 kilograms | -100.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0 kilograms is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.1847 kilograms. (68 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0 kilograms is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.042 kilograms. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +224.3% | 0.1424 kilograms | 0.4617 kilograms |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.7892 kilograms | 0.6681 kilograms | 0.9103 kilograms | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.228 kilograms | 0.1184 kilograms | 0.3512 kilograms | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4599 kilograms | 0.1424 kilograms | 0.9751 kilograms | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.65 kilograms | 0.9516 kilograms | 3.26 kilograms | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6632 kilograms | 0 kilograms | 1.78 kilograms | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 165 Sao Tome and Principe 0 kilograms compare
- 166 Cote d'Ivoire 0 kilograms compare
- 167 Cuba 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Brazil 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Bulgaria 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Ghana 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Greece 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Hungary 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Malawi 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Mexico 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Poland 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Senegal 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Slovakia 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Spain 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Switzerland 0 kilograms compare
- 168 United Kingdom 0 kilograms compare
- 168 United States 0 kilograms compare
- 168 Uzbekistan 0 kilograms compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea?
- Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports in South Korea was 0 kilograms in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.26 kilograms in 2019.
- What is the lowest plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 kilograms in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports?
- South Korea ranks 168th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Plastic waste per capita imports vs. exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Amount of plastic waste imported per person, measured in kilograms per person per year.