"I heard someone hoarded 800,000 won worth of garbage bags. I'm wondering if I should stock up too."
The hottest topic in online communities closely tied to daily life, such as local parenting forums, is undoubtedly "pay-as-you-throw garbage bags." As the prolonged war between the US, Israel, and Iran spreads its impact to every corner of daily life, rumors that garbage bag supplies would become unstable have spread through social media, triggering hoarding movements in various places.
Reselling garbage bags between individuals is illegal under current law, but cases of secretly reselling them at a premium are not uncommon in apartment community groups. In one apartment open chat room, a post offering "five 20-liter garbage bags for 10,000 won" was uploaded but quickly deleted after users pointed out it appeared to be hoarding. Considering that a 20-liter garbage bag costs 490 won in Seoul, the seller was attempting to profit more than four times the original price amid the chaos.
Experts point out that Korea's vulnerable energy structure lies at the heart of the social chaos caused by a 490-won bag. A professor I contacted during recent reporting said, "Not only plastic bags like garbage bags, but also coatings on milk containers and disposable utensils used for delivery are all petrochemical products. In a country that doesn't produce a single drop of oil, these products have been used far too indiscriminately."
The professor added, "Even 30 years ago in the US, stores often put purchases in paper bags. I've never seen a country where energy waste is as normalized as in Korea."
The government has scrambled to respond to calm the garbage bag crisis. Seoul's Mapo District requested additional production of 10-liter and 20-liter bags, which are in high demand, on January 8. Paju in Gyeonggi Province has also secured two additional manufacturers and plans to increase daily supply to 180,000 bags starting January 11.
However, more important than adjusting immediate supply is accurately understanding the essence of this crisis and finding solutions. If another war suddenly breaks out beyond the Middle East conflict, or if oil production plummets, a "second garbage bag crisis" could happen at any time. Ultimately, Korea must diversify its oil and gas-centered energy structure appropriately with solar power and nuclear energy to build a sustainable energy system.
