Critical mineral recycling involves recovering valuable elements from end-of-life products, including spent batteries, discarded printed circuit boards (PCBs), and used industrial catalysts. (Image courtesy of Pixabay/CCL)
SEOUL, March 26 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea unveiled an ambitious plan on Tuesday to boost the recycling rate of key strategic minerals to 20% by 2030, as part of its broader effort to secure critical supply chains and position itself in the rapidly expanding global market for resource recovery.
During the fourth meeting of the Supply Chain Stabilization Committee, held at the Seoul Government Complex, the government outlined its roadmap to promote critical mineral recycling, focusing on materials like nickel, cobalt, and lithium — all essential for advanced industries such as electric vehicle batteries and semiconductors.
Critical mineral recycling involves recovering valuable elements from end-of-life products, including spent batteries, discarded printed circuit boards (PCBs), and used industrial catalysts. The strategy is seen as a practical solution to reduce import dependency, secure supply chain stability, and respond to tightening environmental regulations.
The global market for critical mineral recycling, valued at $200 billion in 2024, is projected to grow more than fivefold to $1.1 trillion by 2040. Major economies, including the European Union, are already mandating recycled content in products, with the EU set to require minimum recycled material quotas in batteries from 2031.
Bags of recovered metals, including aluminum and copper, are seen on the first floor of the Mercedes-Benz battery recycling plant in Kupferheim, Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany, on October 21, 2024 (local time). (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
South Korea’s plan is built on four core strategies and eight policy initiatives. The government will establish industrial clusters to foster a full-cycle value chain — from raw material procurement to manufacturing and end-product creation.
Companies operating within these clusters will receive support for scaling up demonstration projects, technology commercialization, and material certification.
The plan also includes building a centralized database to manage recycling feedstock supply and supporting domestic stockpiling as well as overseas sourcing. A lifecycle tracking system for used batteries will be jointly developed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; and the Ministry of Environment.
Additionally, a certification program will be introduced to ensure traceability and quality of recycled battery materials.
To nurture leading companies in the recycling sector, the government plans to expand financial support through direct investment from the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation and funding from the supply chain stabilization fund.
These investments will help build recycling infrastructure, develop advanced technologies, and stimulate demand by stockpiling recycled products such as refined metals and oxides.
The government also aims to simplify import procedures and reduce cost burdens on Korean companies reliant on foreign raw materials. A new legal framework, including a “Used Battery Act,” is under consideration to regulate and optimize the management of end-of-life batteries, particularly as electric vehicle adoption accelerates.
South Korea plans to deepen multilateral cooperation with key partners through the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), engaging with the U.S., EU, and Japan for joint policy development, technology exchange, and collaborative investment.
In addition, the government will expand its existing public-private recycling forum, launched in 2022, into a broader body with specialized committees and a cross-ministry task force to drive policy reforms and identify new support programs. Statistical systems will also be upgraded with a dedicated industrial classification system for the critical minerals recycling sector.
A government official emphasized, “Critical mineral recycling is a cornerstone for enhancing national competitiveness in advanced industries. We will continue close interagency cooperation to expand support measures and rationalize regulations as we move toward 2026 and beyond.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
