Oil Crunch Threatens South Korea’s Garbage Bag, Ramen Supply

Packets of Shin Ramyun noodles on the production line at the NongShim Co. factory in Gumi, South Korea.Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

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March 24, 2026 at 5:25 AM UTC

Deepening shortages of Middle Eastern crude oil are threatening to disrupt everyday life in South Korea, from trash bags to instant noodles.

The crisis has throttled the flow of naphtha, a petroleum derivative and key element of plastic manufacturing, forcing South Korean chemical giants to weigh production halts or cuts. Its No. 1 petrochemical producer LG Chem Ltd. announced a temporary suspension of one of its three naphtha cracking facilities on Monday.