The Korean kimchi craze has helped drive up exports of agricultural and marine products. According to the South Jeolla Province and Gwangju Metropolitan City governments, the two regions' exports of farm and marine products reached a record 437.8 million US dollars from January to July this year. This represents a 14 percent increase from the same period last year. Kimchi exports, in particular, surged 28 percent to 36.6 million dollars over the same period. The two local governments attribute the export growth to the global popularity of Korean kimchi and other foods. They expect exports to continue to grow for the rest of the year. The South Jeolla Province and Gwangju Metropolitan City are major producers of kimchi ingredients such as radish, Chinese cabbage and chili peppers. The two regions are also home to many food companies that make kimchi and other food products. Their exports have been rising steadily over the past few years. In 2019, they reached 365 million dollars, up 6.6 percent from 2018. In 2020, they jumped 21 percent to 384 million dollars. Last year, they hit 409 million dollars, up 6.5 percent from 2020. The two regions' governments plan to increase support for local companies to help them expand exports. They will provide more export-related services such as information on foreign markets and distribution channels. They will also help local companies participate in international food exhibitions. The goal is to reach 500 million dollars in exports by 2025. Choi Kyu-hwan, an official at South Jeolla Province, said, "We expect this year's exports to set a new record, exceeding 450 million dollars. We will do our best to help local companies go global."
We haven't written up this one. Hankyoreh has the full story — the link below goes straight to it.
