Ice cream exports set a record high in the first half of the year amid the rising global popularity of such snacks. Shown are the selections in an ice cream freezer at a convenience store in Seoul's Jung-gu District. (Kim Seon Ah)

By Kim Seon Ah

Ice cream exports in the first half of this year set an all-time high given the item's soaring popularity abroad, with their annual volume forecast to eclipse USD 100 million for the first time.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on July 6 said such shipments from January to June this year reached USD 65.5 million (KRW 89.3 billion), up 23.1% from USD 53.2 million in the same period last year.

Such exports have steadily increased over recent years, going from USD 38.5 million in the first half of 2021 to USD 44.7 million in that of 2022 and USD 55.3 million in that of 2023. The figure slightly dipped last year but rebounded this year to over USD 60 million.

The largest market for Korean ice cream was the U.S. with USD 24.9 million, accounting for 38% of all such exports, followed in order by the Philippines with USD 5.6 million and China USD 5.4 million.

The ministry forecast that for all of 2025, ice cream exports will break USD 100 million for the first time, up from USD 91.5 million last year.

"As consumer preference for Korean ice cream grows abroad, large retail stores in major export markets are stocking it," a ministry source said. "We forecast annual exports for all of this year to break USD 100 million for the first time."

sofiakim218@korea.kr