• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2006

The first packaging of Korean market milk dates back to July 1937 when Seoul Dairy Co-operative (Kyung Seong Dairy Co-operative in those days) used 1 hob (180 ml) glass bottles with either paper caps or cork caps. During 1945-1972, 2 hob (360 ml) glass bottles were produced, and iron caps and egret-shaped plastic film replaced the previously used caps. When there were insufficient numbers of milk bottles, other glass bottles such as soda drink bottles and beer bottles were used instead. Seoul Dairy Co-operative was the only dairy company existing in Korea until Nam Yang Dairy Co. Ltd was founded in March 1964, followed by Hae Tae Dairy Co. Ltd(Tae Han Food Public Corporation in those days) in 1969 and Mae-il Dairy Co. Ltd (Korea Dairy Company in those days) in May 1971. As many other dairy companies along with the above-mentioned companies were established, a variety of dairy products were packaged and marketed. In 1971 Seoul Dairy Co-operative first used triangular-shaped polyethylene film wrappers, and in 1972 Nam Yang Diary was the first company importing sterilized Tetra pak for the packaging of milk. Since 1974 rectangular shaped polyethylene film wrappers and plastic bottles were used. In 1977 the gable top carton pack made of paper was first introduced by Seo Joo Industry Co. Ltd, and its market share increased rapidly with gradual increase in its volume, from 180ml to 200ml, to 250ml, to 500ml and finally to 1,000ml, causing change in the volume of milk consumption. And in Sep. 1987 Pasteur market milk Co. Ltd. first used round type high density polyethylene bottle(body) with low density polyethylene cap of 245g, 490g and 980g volumes respectively.