How does recycling and waste disposal work in Korea?

It looks complicated at first but becomes routine fast, and getting it right matters since there are fines for doing it wrong. The core rule is that general trash goes into official volume-rate bags called 종량제 봉투, which you buy at convenience stores and supermarkets, and the bag itself is your disposal fee; importantly these bags are specific to your district (구), so buy the ones for where you live. Recycling is separated and free: rinse and sort paper and cardboard, plastic, PET bottles, glass, cans, and vinyl or plastic film into their categories, removing caps and labels where asked.

Food waste (음식물 쓰레기) is a separate stream that goes into designated food-waste bins or special food-waste bags, often paid by a card or by weight in apartments; a common trap is that bones, shells, eggshells, fruit pits, and tea bags count as general trash, not food waste. In an apartment there is usually a fixed collection area with labeled bins and set days, so just follow the signs, while in a house or villa you put items out at the curb on specific nights, so ask your landlord or neighbors about the schedule. Large items like furniture or appliances need a paid disposal sticker (대형폐기물) arranged through your district office or its website before you set them out. When unsure, the building management office or your 구청 can tell you the exact local rules, which vary a little by district. Once you have the four streams down, general trash in the right bag, recycling sorted, food waste separate, and big items by sticker, you will avoid fines and be a good neighbor.