• MOU for developing recycled traditional liquor packaging and products using Circular Recycled PET (CR-PET)
• Expanding sustainable plastic application to the traditional liquor industry, following beverages, food, and tires

SK chemicals and Kooksoondang have signed an MOU to develop liquor containers based on circular recycled materials.
 

SK chemicals (CEO Ahn Jae-hyun) and Kooksoondang (CEO Bae Sang-min) announced on the 25th that they had signed a business agreement at Kooksoondang's Seoul office in Samseong-dong. This partnership marks a first in the traditional liquor industry to develop traditional liquor containers using Circular Recycled PET (CR-PET).

Under this agreement, both companies will collaborate to advance the development of traditional liquor packaging using circular recycled materials and ensure smooth progress to the commercialization stage. This marks the first instance of utilizing materials derived from chemical recycling technology in the production of traditional liquor containers.

To this end, SK chemicals will supply SKYPET CR material necessary for producing traditional liquor containers for Kooksoondang, while also providing various technical support based on its expertise in polyester materials. Kooksoondang plans to develop and implement recycled packaging optimized for traditional liquor containers using these materials and technical support. Furthermore, both companies agreed to collaborate not only on the development of containers using recycled packages but also on their practical application, commercialization, and initiatives to drive greater consumption. 

In line with global trends towards increased use of recycled raw materials, Kooksoondang has partnered with SK chemicals to explore alternatives to petroleum-based PET materials used in containers for its traditional liquors. According to Greenpeace's Plastic Korea 2.0 Report, 5.6 billion PET bottles were discarded in Korea in 2020, amounting to 84,456 tons.

Producing traditional liquors using traditional fermentation techniques demands rigorous quality control to preserve their unique taste, aroma, and color until they reach consumers. To uphold these high standards, it is crucial to achieve material properties that match those of conventional petrochemical materials. SK chemicals' circular recycled PET brand, SKYPET CR, is a material based on depolymerization technology that breaks down plastic waste to the molecular level and converts it back into raw materials. Although it uses plastic waste as a raw material, it exhibits the same quality and physical properties as petroleum-based PET materials. It also has the advantage of being able to reuse recycled plastic that has been used, unlike physically recycled materials that are incinerated or landfilled after a single use.

Kooksoondang expects this agreement to bring about groundbreaking technological progress in applying recycled packaging materials to Korea's traditional liquor packaging industry.

A Kooksoondang official said, "SK chemicals is a company that has both polyester technology and chemical recycling technology. They produced PET resin for the first time in Korea in 1978 and recently commercialized chemical recycling technology for the first time in the world. We will create a sustainable liquor container trend by leveraging SK's material technology and expertise, combined with our own container manufacturing know-how."

Kooksoondang has been leading the traditional liquor industry by consistently introducing products that incorporate new packaging technologies. In 1993, it launched the industry's first canned makgeolli; in 2009, it introduced Kooksoondang Fresh Makgeolli, the industry's first fresh Makgeolli with a completely sealed cap. In addition, the company changed the containers of major Makgeolli products to transparent PET bottles and applied tear lines to labels to make separation and disposal easier, with consideration for the environment.

Ahn Jae-hyun, CEO of SK chemicals, said, "Drinking items such as liquor, bottled water, and beverages are among the areas that use the most plastic in everyday life. We will expand collaboration with leading companies in industries that use a lot of plastic waste to establish a virtuous cycle system for discarded plastic waste and contribute to reducing overall plastic usage."

Meanwhile, Kooksoondang is steadily carrying out ESG activities for a sustainable future while also pursuing the development of circular recycled packaging materials. The company has been selected as a Green Company by the Ministry of Environment five consecutive times. They have also completed the smart eco-factory construction project at Hoengseong Brewery and are currently conducting various activities such as forest cultivation in Cheongnaetaesan, companion beach activities in Gyeongpo, Gangneung, and Jucheon River purification activities.

Photo description: SK chemicals and Kooksoondang signed a business agreement for collaboration on the development of Circular Recycled PET (CR-PET) products at Kooksoondang's Seoul office in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. (From left) Kooksoondang CEO Bae Sang-min and SK chemicals CEO Ahn Jae-hyun pose for a commemorative photo after signing the business agreement.