South Korean lawmakers submit bill to partially amend Circular Economy Act

On March 16, 2026, South Korean National Assembly member Kim Ju-young and 10 other lawmakers submitted a bill to partially amend the Act on Promotion of Transition to a Circular Economy Society. Under the current Act, business waste must be treated either by the waste-generating business entity itself or through a licensed contractor, and strict standards must be observed throughout the entire process, from collection and transportation to storage, disposal, and recycling. While these requirements are intended to prevent illegal dumping or abandonment, some waste generated at business establishments includes reusable by-products that may be circulated and reused within the same industrial complex. In such cases, the risks are considered low because little of the material is transported outside the site and the by-products often have high economic value. Nevertheless, because the current regulatory framework applies uniformly, procedural and cost burdens increase, thereby hindering resource circulation. To address this issue, the proposed amendment would establish Circular Economy Special Regulatory Zones and partially exempt waste-related regulatory requirements under certain conditions, thereby promoting efficient circulation and reuse within such zones and ultimately advancing the realization of a circular economy.