The government is strengthening inter-agency collaboration to promote the used battery industry. The plan aims to integrate policies related to distribution, reuse, recycling, and life cycle assessment, positioning used batteries as strategic resources for stabilizing the supply chain of key minerals.
On the morning of August 7, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in the used battery policy sector. The signing took place at the Korea Productivity Center in Jongno, Seoul, with Deputy Minister Moon Shin-hak from the Ministry of Trade and Deputy Minister Kim Han-seung from the Climate Ministry in attendance.
Used batteries contain strategic resources such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt. The government views used batteries not merely as waste but as essential resources for strengthening the supply chain of key minerals and ensuring national resource security. To fully utilize used batteries throughout their life cycle, collaboration between the two ministries is deemed necessary.
As part of this initiative, the ministries will work together on policies to foster the used battery industry. They plan to establish a 'battery transaction and history management platform' to ensure safe and efficient tracking and stabilization of the supply chain by linking individual systems.
Currently, the Ministry of Trade oversees the distribution and reuse sectors of the used battery industry, while the Climate Ministry is responsible for greenhouse gas life cycle assessments and recycling. The two ministries aim to create a unified system to provide integrated services to the public.
They will also connect the certification systems for recycled materials. This involves aligning the Climate Ministry's certification for recycled material production with the Ministry of Trade's certification for the use and content ratio of recycled materials, allowing production certification documents to be utilized for usage certification.
Additionally, they will work on revising regulations. This includes creating safe transportation and storage guidelines for distributors of used batteries and improving management standards for recycling operators. The goal is to maintain the quality of used batteries and recycled materials above a certain standard while establishing a safe management system.
The continuity of operations at the Future Waste Resource Collection Center, a public institution for the collection and distribution of used batteries, will also be secured. This center is responsible for the collection and sale of batteries from electric vehicles registered by December 31, 2020. The government plans to prepare relevant regulations in subordinate laws to continue these operations within a limited scope after the implementation of related legislation.
Joint research and development projects related to used batteries will also be planned and promoted. This includes technology development and regulatory improvements in the processes of reuse, recycling, and manufacturing new batteries from used batteries, focusing on energy storage systems (ESS), recycled material extraction, and quality control. To facilitate this, a working-level council co-chaired by the Director of Advanced Industry Policy from the Ministry of Trade and the Director of Resource Circulation from the Climate Ministry will be established and operated.
This agreement is significant as it consolidates the previously separate approaches to used battery policy into a unified circular economy and supply chain policy. As the adoption of electric vehicles increases, the volume of used batteries is also expected to rise, necessitating a seamless system for collection, inspection, distribution, reuse, recycling, and certification of recycled materials.
In particular, the transaction and history management platform could serve as the foundational infrastructure for the used battery industry. It will enable tracking of where batteries originate, their condition during distribution, and their paths to reuse or recycling, thereby reducing safety concerns and ensuring the quality and reliability of recycled materials.
Deputy Minister Moon Shin-hak stated, "To develop the battery industry into a sustainable future industry, it is essential to create a robust ecosystem for used batteries. This MOU will break down barriers between the two ministries and serve as an important milestone in establishing a sustainable future for South Korea's battery industry."
Deputy Minister Kim Han-seung emphasized, "In the context of rapidly expanding electric vehicle adoption, establishing a circular utilization system for used batteries is a key task for achieving a sustainable circular economy. We will work diligently to build a circular utilization system that balances environmental sustainability and industrial competitiveness."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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