“Are we supposed to reveal our private lives to criminals and stalkers?” Garbage real-name system sparks social media controversy ... but it turns out

[Financial News] A post instructing people to write personal information, including their names and addresses, on garbage bags before putting them out has sparked controversy after appearing on social media (SNS).
On the 3rd, a post and photos saying that people must write the waste disposer’s real-name information on garbage bags were posted on Threads.
The author, identified only as A, criticized the practice, writing, “This is what South Korea is like now: you have to put your real-name information on your trash when you throw it away,” and adding, “Isn’t that basically handing over my spending history and private life in full to criminals or stalkers? This bizarre policy just makes me laugh in disbelief.”
The photos included a pay-as-you-throw garbage bag printed with “Wonju City Mayor” and a sticker for entering the disposer’s name and address. At the top of the photo were the words, “Now write your name before throwing it away. Full-scale introduction of the Garbage Real-Name System.”
As the post spread, concerns mounted among internet users about the possibility that exposed personal information could be exploited for crime and whether the system would be effective.
One internet user pointed out, “If you put your name and apartment building and unit number on it, couldn’t you become a target for criminals?” and asked, “How would they prevent people from falsely writing someone else’s address?”
There were also reactions questioning whether the garbage real-name system was actually being implemented.
According to Newsis, Wonju City in Gangwon State was found not to be implementing a garbage real-name system. An official with Wonju City’s Resource Circulation Division told the outlet, “We are not implementing a garbage real-name system, and have no plans to introduce one in the future.”
However, some areas are introducing systems that display identifying information on pay-as-you-throw bags so that those disposing of the waste can be identified. Buk-gu in Gwangju Metropolitan City is set to pilot the “Real-Name System for Doorstep Disposal of Pay-as-You-Throw Waste” around Malbau Market starting on the 28th.
The pay-as-you-throw real-name system is a measure to prevent people from mixing food waste into pay-as-you-throw bags and throwing it away. For some time, collection companies had not been taking bags containing food waste around Malbau Market, leaving them unattended for long periods. As other waste piled up nearby, this caused problems with appearance and sanitation.
Accordingly, rather than requiring people to write their names and addresses on garbage bags, the system requires them to write their shop number to prevent personal information from being exposed. A total of 387 shops affiliated with the merchants’ association are covered, while street vendors without shop numbers are exempt from the real-name system.
[email protected] An Ga-eul Reporter