Kimchi exports hit an all-time high last year thanks to increasing global interest in Korean food brought on by the rise of Hallyu and growing demand for fermented food, which is considered to boost the body's immune system amid the outbreak of COVID-19. The photo shows kimchi at a hypermarket in Seoul. (Yonhap News)
By Oh Hyun Woo and Yoon Hee Young
Exports of kimchi hit an all-time high last year.
The Korea Customs Service on Feb. 8 said overseas shipments of the spicy condiment last year reached USD 144.51 million, up 37.6% from 2019.
This broke the previous record set in 2012 of USD 106.61 million.
Kimchi was exported to about 80 markets including Japan, the U.S. and Hong Kong.
The top kimchi market Japan accounted for nearly half of the total (49.2%) with USD 71.1 million.
The U.S. came next with USD 23.06 million, followed by Hong Kong with USD 7.76 million, Taiwan USD 5.87 million, Australia USD 5.64 million and the Netherlands USD 5.15 million.
Industry analysts attributed last year's increase in kimchi exports to surging global interest in Korean culture and food thanks to the Hallyu boom featuring K-pop sensation BTS. Another factor was the perception of kimchi, a fermented food, improving the body's immune system amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
hyunw54@korea.kr
