Illegal dumping in South Korea

The basis for the fine

Breaching disposal timing rules and illegal dumping are subject to an administrative fine of up to 1,000,000 won under article 68 of the Wastes Control Act.

The amount actually imposed varies with the conduct and the local authority’s schedule, so for an exact figure check the criteria published by your district or city office.

What is enforced

The scope is wider than people expect. Enforcement covers:

• Small litter such as cigarette butts and tissues
• Waste generated while resting or on an outing
• Dumping of bulky waste
• Not using the standard bag, meaning putting waste out in something other than the official volume-rate bag
• Illegal burning of waste

A country where the bag itself is the rule

This is the sharpest difference from other guides in this programme. Under the volume-rate system household waste must be put out in the prescribed bag, and failing to use it is expressly listed as enforceable conduct.

Guides elsewhere deal only with where you put waste. In Korea what you put it in matters as well.

Bulky waste is different again. It does not go in a bag, so it follows a procedure: apply in advance, attach a sticker, and put it out at the designated place. Furniture put out without a sticker is not disposal, it is dumping.

How to report, and the evidence needed

If you find illegal dumping you can report it to the local community service centre in person, in writing, online or by fax.

The evidence is what matters. You need who, when, where and what was dumped, together with proof, for a fine to be imposed and a reward paid. Without evidence a report may be accepted but is unlikely to lead to enforcement.

The reporter reward

Where someone reports a person putting waste out without using the standard bag, and after verification the case qualifies for a fine, the reporter receives 20% of the amount imposed as a reward.

That changes the nature of the "why bother reporting" question. It is also why Korean guidance is unusually specific about evidence requirements: the reward depends on a fine actually being issued.

What a useful report contains

• Exact location, with coordinates where possible
• Two photos: one close enough to show the type of waste, one wide enough to identify the place
• The type: construction waste, furniture, tyres, garden waste, drums, slate sheeting
• Approximate quantity, with something in shot for scale
• The date, and how long it has been there if you know
• Origin clues visible without disturbing anything: dockets, labels, business names. There is no need to search the waste

What not to do

• Do not clear it before reporting and photographing. The evidence disappears
• Do not touch drums, sealed bags or slate that might contain asbestos
• Do not follow or confront whoever is dumping. Noting the vehicle registration is enough
• Do not add anything on top. Once one spot exists, others follow within days

Why a public record helps

A cleared place fills again with remarkable regularity. These spots repeat for structural reasons: reachable by car, poorly visible at night, far from a disposal facility.

One report produces one collection. A record of dates and photos accumulated for the same spot is different in kind: it is the basis for requesting a barrier, a camera, signage or a nearer disposal point. On CleanSpot each report leaves a photo, a date and coordinates on a public map, and reopening the same spot builds that record.

It does not replace reporting to the community centre and is not presented as if it did. The record is precisely what the process usually lacks.

Sources

• 폐기물관리법 — 국가법령정보센터 (2026-08-30)
• 서초구청 — 쓰레기 무단투기 등 과태료 부과기준 (2026-08-30)