Share of plastic waste exports in South Korea
South Korea: Share of plastic waste exports was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of plastic waste 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 %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of plastic waste exports in South Korea is 0.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
That represents a change of down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of plastic waste exports in South Korea peaked at 2.7% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2020.
That places South Korea 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.0% | 2.7% | 3 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 0.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 136 Brunei 0.0% compare
- 137 Angola 0.0% compare
- 138 East Timor 0.0% compare
- 139 Austria 0.0% compare
- 139 Bahrain 0.0% compare
- 139 Canada 0.0% compare
- 139 Fiji 0.0% compare
- 139 France 0.0% compare
- 139 Germany 0.0% compare
- 139 Ghana 0.0% compare
- 139 Hungary 0.0% compare
- 139 Italy 0.0% compare
- 139 Jordan 0.0% compare
- 139 Kazakhstan 0.0% compare
- 139 Lebanon 0.0% compare
- 139 Malaysia 0.0% compare
- 139 Mexico 0.0% compare
- 139 Oman 0.0% compare
- 139 Qatar 0.0% compare
- 139 Romania 0.0% compare
- 139 Singapore 0.0% compare
- 139 Spain 0.0% compare
- 139 Thailand 0.0% compare
- 139 United Arab Emirates 0.0% compare
- 139 United Kingdom 0.0% compare
- 139 United States 0.0% compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 668.25 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 12.91 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 21.02 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.3304 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.86 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1549 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 44.74 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.2523 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.2291 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 18.6 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of plastic waste exports in South Korea?
- Share of plastic waste exports in South Korea was 0.0% 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 share of plastic waste exports recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of plastic waste exports recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2020.
- How does South Korea rank for share of plastic waste exports?
- South Korea ranks 139th out of 162 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of plastic waste 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 Share of plastic waste exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of global plastic waste exports that a country accounts for.