Why Are There No Trash Cans in Korea?

If you’ve recently visited Korea, what did you think about finding a trash can? Having lived in Korea previously, I know where to look, but any visitor to Korea could go days without being able to locate a single public trash can.

So I wanted to know why there weren’t any public trash cans in Korea, and asked Koreans on the street.

For anyone visiting Korea, my recommended place for finding trash cans is inside major subway stations. You can sometimes find large trash cans just like in the US (throw everything in just one place), but they’re not common still. Also subway bathrooms will often have small trash cans at the entrances where you can throw away trash. Convenience stores also have trash cans for paying customers so you can sit and enjoy their food, and throw away your trash before leaving. But these locations are only for small amounts of trash. For anything larger… good luck!