By Jungdo Kim, Director of the ARC Center
The controversy over the rollback of the disposable cup deposit system, which raged from late last year to early this year, has seemingly subsided. This is because the legislative amendment proposed by the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment (MCEE)—which sought to neutralize the system by converting a mandatory nationwide mandate into a discretionary local option—ultimately failed. However, the embers of this dispute remain very much alive.
The MCEE remains skeptical of the deposit system and continues to evade its responsibility for nationwide mandatory implementation. The fact that the Ministry is still weighing a legislative overhaul centered on “discretionary implementation by local governments” is clear evidence of this stance. The Ministry argues that mandatory implementation only imposes “inconvenience” on corporations, small business owners, and consumers. But would shifting to a discretionary system truly resolve the issue?
Absolutely not. The very idea of amending a mandatory law into a discretionary one is a denial of the fundamental raison d’être of the law itself. Laws exist as a minimum set of rules to enforce and fulfill social agreements. To explicitly codify “discretion”—which carries no duty, no responsibility, and no penalty for non-compliance—into a high-level statute is essentially a declaration of the system’s abolition. A law without accountability is no law at all; it is merely an invitation to inaction.
What is even more deceptive is the Ministry’s double standard. When Jeju Province requested an amendment to the enforcement regulations to expand the system’s scope to include small-to-medium-sized franchises and local businesses, the Ministry remained deadlocked. It is a blatant self-contradiction to refuse a proposal aimed at refining the system to fit Jeju’s reality, only to now push for a legislative overhaul that would render the entire mandate optional.
Does the Ministry feel uncomfortable with the fact that Jeju has proven the policy’s potential for success? One cannot help but suspect that the MCEE views Jeju’s achievements as a thorn in its side and is attempting to neutralize Jeju—the nation’s sole leading region for the deposit system—under the pretext of “discretion.”
With the local elections approaching, the incoming 9th provincial administration must take a firm stand against the MCEE’s irresponsibility. If immediate nationwide implementation is deemed difficult, they must at least stop the attempt to turn the law into a hollow shell through the “discretionary” loophole. Instead, the new government should use Jeju’s success as a catalyst to demand practical institutional improvements that will accelerate the mandatory nationwide rollout.
Refusing to be dragged along by the Ministry’s flawed policies and steering them back toward the right path will be the first litmus test for the 9th Jeju provincial administration in its pursuit of a “Plastic-Free Jeju.” We look forward to seeing a strong commitment from the new administration to ensure that Jeju continues its leading role in driving Korea’s circular economy.
This article was originally published in JejuSori on April 30, 2026.