The authorities said that the firm also exported a mixture of wood, metal, and other type of waste not listed on the customs declarations, which amounts to the false submission of documents. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has launched an investigation into a domestic firm that provoked the ire of the Philippines for illegally exporting waste to the country.
The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in tandem with the Ministry of Environment and the Korea Customs Service, conducted a thorough search of the company to find plastic waste that did not go through proper processing procedures.
The authorities said that the firm also exported a mixture of wood, metal, and other type of waste not listed on the customs declarations, which amounts to the false submission of documents.
The Ministry of Environment began taking legal procedures to retrieve illegal waste from the Philippines, while the Korea Customs Service is continuing to investigate the allegations that the company illegally exported waste by submitting illicit documents to acquire export authorization.
On July 21, the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced that containers filled with more than 5,100 tons of waste including used diapers, batteries, light bulbs, electronics, and other trash originating in South Korea had been brought into the country.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
