Seoul to pay for shipping controversial garbage back to South Korea

The South Korean government will shoulder the shipping cost of 6,500 tons of garbage back to South Korea, estimated at $47,430 or P2.5 million, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Friday.

Customs is re-exporting to South Korea 51 container vans of garbage on January 9. The bulk of shipment, which consists of 5,197.91 tons of trash, will be re-exported by January 30.

In a statement, the BOC said the agreement regarding who should pay the bill was reached during a meeting between representatives of the Korean government and the BOC at the Mindanao Container Terminal Sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on Dec. 27 and 28, 2018.

“During the meeting, the Korean government representatives expressed their full cooperation and support in the re-exportation of the imported garbage and agreed to shoulder the shipping cost of $47,430 without the arrastre and demurrage charges,” the bureau said.

“We welcome this positive development and thank our counterpart for their swift response to our demand for the re-exportation of this shipment ...” Customs Commissioner Leonardo Guerrero said.

Representing the Philippines at the meeting were lawyer Floro Calixihan Jr., District Collector, Port of Cagayan de Oro; John Simon, Port Collector, Mindanao Container Terminal Sub-port; and lawyer Roswald Joseph Pague, Acting Deputy Collector for Administration/ Chief, Law Division.

The Korean contingent was represented by Lee Jong Min, Assistant Director, Environmental Management; Yeo Jae Gap, Representative Director, Hyunambicis Corporation; Han Hee Chang, Director, Korean Environment Corporation; and Kim Young Gi, Director, Korea Environment Corporation.

“We expect the 51 garbage-filled containers stored at MICT to be home-bound by January 9. provided that all regulatory requirements are readily available,” Simon said.

The Customs Bureau intercepted the 51 container vans at MICT in November 2018.

The misdeclared shipment was supposed to be sent to Verde Soco Philippines, the same consignee for another shipment of garbage from South Korea that arrived in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental last July 21. —Llanesca Panti/VDS, GMA News