In Busan, the 'plastic agreement' failed to reach an agreement... and "resume negotiations later."

The meeting of the International Convention to End Plastic Pollution held in Busan failed to overcome differences of opinion between countries, resulting in a minimum "declarative agreement."

At the last full meeting of the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee of the Plastics Convention last night in BEXCO, Busan, Chairman Luis Bayas Valvidierso said a full agreement had not been reached by the deadline and that negotiations would resume later because more time was needed to resolve the issue.

At the same time, he said that much progress has been made in Busan, but until the agreement is completed, we must maintain a practical attitude while cooperating toward a common goal.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol, the chief representative of the South Korean government, also said that the goal toward the agreement should not be abandoned, adding that he has established a strong foundation for the agreement in Busan, which is something to be proud of.

In March last year, the international community held five negotiating committees to create a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, but the issue of reducing plastic production was finally hampered.

China, the largest plastic producer, was also more forward-looking than expected, with oil producers such as Saudi Arabia and Russia reportedly failing to reach a final agreement as they refused to accept plastic production regulations.