Securing critical minerals and recycling battery for sustainable development: A Korean perspective

Abstract

Drawing on the case of Korea, this paper presents an argument on the comprehensive strategies that integrate technology, policy, and cultural changes to address the climate crisis and ensure a stable transition to renewable energy. Recently, Korea has been shifting its industrial focus to the eco-friendly energy sector, including electric vehicle industry, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This shift means that there is a growing demand for critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, which are essential for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries. With growing interest in securing critical minerals and battery recycling, four key areas are explored from a Korean perspective: (1) the role of critical minerals in EV battery production; (2) advancements in battery recycling technology; (3) misconceptions and truths about climate crisis, energy transition, and battery recycling; and (4) ongoing policies on battery recycling in Korea. Addressing the global problems related to critical mineral procurement and battery recycling and introducing the recent implementations at the government level in Korea can contribute to sustainability, ensuring progression in the right direction.

Keywords

Lithium-ion battery / Critical minerals / Battery recycling / Carbon neutrality / Republic of Korea

Funding

This work was supported by the Korea Planning and Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) (grant ID: No. 20018884, NP2022-034 and No. 20011176).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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