The sustainability trends in South Korea are "Zero Waste" and "Ethical Consumption."

─Trend #2 from the 16-Country Sustainable Lifestyle Awareness Survey─

In July 2021, the Dentsu Global Business Center and DENTSU SOKEN INC. jointly conducted the "Sustainable Lifestyle Awareness Survey 2021" targeting 12 countries (Japan, Germany, UK, USA, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam). An additional survey was conducted in October targeting 4 countries (Brazil, Australia, South Korea, Sweden).

Following the previous survey, this report focuses on environmental awareness as the first part of a series on sustainability trends in South Korea, based on the combined findings from the 16-country survey.

<Table of Contents>
▼Is Sustainability Awareness High in South Korea?
▼The New Low-Carbon Lifestyle: "Zero Waste"
▼South Korea's High Ethical Consumption Awareness
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Is South Korea's Sustainability Awareness High?

First, let's examine the characteristics of South Korea's sustainability awareness among the 16 surveyed countries. South Korea's results for "image of sustainability," "social issues of interest," and "information sources for social issues" were similar to those of Japan, Germany, and the UK.

On the other hand, in areas like "acceptance of environmental taxes" and "attitudes toward consumption"—where cost burdens are viewed positively—South Korea's tendencies are closer to those of China, India, and ASEAN countries.

The top three social issues of high concern in South Korea are "natural disasters," "economic stagnation," and "air pollution." Every spring, air pollution caused by PM2.5 carried by winds from the continent becomes a significant problem in South Korea. This greatly impacts people's lives, leading to restrictions on outdoor activities and increased purchases of air purifiers.

In 2019, the "International Forum on Air Pollution and Climate Change" was held, where a partnership was established with China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment to collaborate on solving the problem. Many people keenly feel that climate change is not an issue South Korea can solve alone and requires cooperation with neighboring countries.

Furthermore, Korea's sustainability image encompasses not only "global environmental protection" but also "circular society" and "technological advancement." These are perceived as connected solutions to the previously mentioned social challenge of "economic stagnation."

There is a strong recognition that "people's livelihoods" and "industrial development" are closely intertwined. This is confirmed by survey results: when asked whether "climate change," "hunger," and "renewable energy transition" are closely related or separate issues, 67.6% chose the former—a higher percentage than in other countries.

While South Korea's awareness rate for "SDGs" is 49.2%, matching the 16-country average and 20% lower than Japan's, awareness of "carbon neutrality" stands at 75.0%. Additionally, awareness of "net zero," which was surveyed separately, also reached a high rate of 72.8%. Furthermore, awareness of the "circular economy," a sustainable economic model gaining attention, was 71.2%. This likely reflects South Korea's focus on advancing carbon reduction technologies to drive economic development.

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New Low-Carbon Lifestyle: "Zero Waste"

South Korea's efforts toward carbon reduction are also evident in daily life. "Using trains, buses, etc., and avoiding private cars as much as possible for travel" scored 45.4%, the highest among the 16 countries surveyed. This reflects not only the well-developed urban transportation networks enabling travel without private cars, but also the high number of people consciously aiming for "CO2 reduction."

While "using eco-bags" is around the 16-country average, South Korea has had a paid plastic bag policy since 1999, primarily at large supermarkets. This has led to the widespread adoption of alternatives beyond eco-bags, such as "reusing cardboard boxes" and "rental Re-Use eco-bags." Consequently, if the survey had asked specifically about "refusing plastic bags," the score might have been even higher.

E-Mart (Korean hypermarket) self-packing station: Reusing cardboard boxes, lending Re-Use eco-bags for delivery, Ministry of Environment plastic bag ban notice poster

In Korea, similar to the paid plastic bags at large marts, a "pay-as-you-throw" system for waste disposal has been in place since 1995. This requires purchasing designated, paid garbage bags for each type and volume of waste. Consequently, there is a strong awareness that "disposing of non-recyclable or unsorted waste = paying." To save money, habits of reducing disposable waste have become ingrained. (Example: 30L/bag, Seoul City general waste standard, approx. ¥50)

Apartment building waste sorting area, paid garbage bags 20L/10L, Ministry of Environment sorting guide

Recently, "Zero Waste" has gained attention as a new lifestyle, not only in the sense of eliminating waste itself but also as "action towards realizing a low-carbon society."

This trend was evident in the variety show " Harmless from Today ~ Carbon Zero Project," which aired on KBS2 terrestrial TV in Korea from October to December 2021 on Thursday nights at 10 PM and became a hot topic online.

The show featured three popular actress and actor couples living in the countryside while challenging themselves to a carbon-zero lifestyle amidst nature, practicing diverse low-carbon habits. For every unit of carbon reduced, they donated a tree.

What made the show compelling was that not only the cast but also the production crew made genuine efforts toward low-carbon living. They operated with minimal personnel and brought water purifiers to the filming location instead of using bottled mineral water. The show didn't just highlight the positives; it also honestly portrayed the inconveniences of pursuing low-carbon and zero-waste lifestyles. Presenting these challenges allowed viewers to decide for themselves whether they could accept such inconveniences, which became a powerful way to engage the audience. I was influenced by this and decided to try a container-free solid shampoo bar.

From a "zero-waste" perspective, paper eco-packaging is popular because it fundamentally reduces waste compared to plastic refill packs. Donations and secondhand sales are also considered better online than offline, where carbon is generated by store and person movement. Therefore, e-commerce sites enabling donations and secondhand sales are gaining support.

Although temporarily suspended due to COVID-19, the law banning disposable paper/plastic cups and straws in cafes is scheduled to resume in June 2022. Regarding this issue, discussions are also active, questioning whether simply reducing disposable items and plastic is always beneficial. Debates focus on whether the action is truly environmentally sound when weighing the water and detergent used to wash mugs against the labor involved.

Posters provided by the South Korean government to stores regarding the ban on plastic cups and straws

The zero-waste movement toward achieving a low-carbon society, unique to South Korea and involving multifaceted discussions on environmental impacts, will continue to draw attention.

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South Korea's high ethical consumption awareness

Regarding questions about the image of 2030, a target year for the SDGs, both Japan and South Korea ranked "technological progress" and "digital" highly, evoking a future of advancement and development rather than environmental issues. It is also noteworthy that among the 16 countries surveyed, South Korea was the only one where "biotechnology" ranked third. Regarding current national assessments, South Korea stands out compared to Japan: while its agreement score for "happiness" is about 20% lower, its agreement scores for "hope" and "growth/investment" are about 14% higher. Perhaps it is precisely because people feel challenges in their current lives that they seek change for the future.

South Korea's expectations for the future can also be seen in changing attitudes toward the meaning of consumption. Compared to the 2010 survey, South Korea's "Want to prioritize public significance" increased by 26.6% to 45.0% in 2021. Conversely, Japan's "Want to prioritize public significance" decreased by 6.7% to 38.4% (Japan and Sweden were the only countries to see a decrease). This may reflect the "anxiety about the future" also present in the 2030 image.

Furthermore, South Korea stands out as having a higher willingness than the 16-country average across all items to adopt environmentally conscious lifestyles, even if it means financial or physical inconvenience.

Regarding acceptance of higher costs when purchasing goods as a trade-off for reducing environmental impact, South Korea shows a higher proportion accepting cost increases of up to 1.3 times the average across all product categories compared to the 16-country average. Acceptance is particularly high in categories where low-carbon initiatives are active, such as home appliances, cars, and food/beverages, suggesting a desire to express their intentions through ethical consumption.

The strong expression in South Korea of the desire to "do what I can to protect the environment" and "contribute to a better future" likely stems from widespread societal consensus on the "necessity of carbon reduction" and the "dangers of climate change." When companies promote sustainability by engaging people, messages and actions aligned with the specific context of each region's concerns are essential.

[Survey Overview]
Title: "Sustainable Lifestyle Awareness Survey 2021"
&nbsp;Survey Method: Online survey
&nbsp;Conducted by: Dentsu Inc., DENTSU SOKEN INC.
Survey Period: July 8–20, 2021
Countries Surveyed: 12 countries (Japan, Germany, UK, USA, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
Sample Size: 4,800 people
&nbsp;Eligibility Criteria: Men and women aged 18–69; Men and women aged 18–44 in the six ASEAN countries

Title: "SLS2021 Supplementary Survey ① October"
&nbsp;Survey Method: Internet survey
&nbsp;Conducted by: Dentsu Inc.
&nbsp;Survey Period: October 17–30, 2021
Target Countries: Sweden, Brazil, Australia, South Korea
Sample Size: 2,000 people
&nbsp;Eligibility Criteria: Men and women aged 18–69

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