Korea, China, Japan vow joint efforts to complete international plastic reduction pact

SEOUL, 29th September, 2024 (WAM) -- The Republic of Korea, China and Japan agreed on Sunday to work more closely to complete negotiations for an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, Seoul's environment ministry said.

Yonhap News Agency quoted the ministry as saying that the commitment was made after the ministers of the three nations held a two-day ministerial meeting on Korea's southern resort island of Jeju on Saturday to discuss ways of enhancing trilateral cooperation on various environmental challenges, including plastic pollution, climate change and yellow dust, according to the ministry.

"The three nations agreed to actively take part in the upcoming negotiations on plastic pollution reduction set to take place in November in Busan to make tangible progress," Minister Kim Wan-sup told a press briefing.

The fifth and final round of meetings of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastic pollution is scheduled to be held in the southern port city of Busan in November, which aims to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

The three nations also agreed to boost cooperation to mitigate yellow dust levels, particularly in partnership with Mongolia.