EXPORTS OF KOREAN FOOD TO CHINA ON THE RISE

[Anchor Lead]

The export of Korean food to China is on the increase as people’s interest in health and well-being grows in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. The first offline K-food fair to be held in China since the outbreak of COVID-19 was packed with Chinese visitors.

[Pkg]

​Chongqing. One of China’s largest cities with a population of 31 million. Chinese shoppers crowd the Korean food section at this large shopping mall. The recent success of K-dramas boosted the popularity of Korean food among locals.

[Soundbite] Liang(Chongqing Resident) : "Korean actors were eating ramyeon and it looked really delicious. I’ve tried it and it was good. So I came to buy it."

The first Korean food fair in China since the pandemic was held at an outdoor plaza. With a rising number of Chinese looking for healthy food, high-quality Korean food captured their taste buds.

[Soundbite] Chiao Xiaching(Chongqing Resident) : "I often shop for Korean food and products. I buy a lot of ramyeon, shampoo and other imported products at the market."

In spite of the pandemic, export of Korean foods such as dried seaweed, ginseng and snacks to China is on the rise. As of September, 1.4 billion dollars’ worth of K-food items were exported to the country, recording a 23% on-year increase.

[Soundbite] Jeong Yeon-su(China Regional HQs, aT Korea Agro-fisheries and Food Trade Corporation) : "Korean food consumption increased because Chinese consumers tend to think that Korean food is healthy and Korean health supplements help boost immunity."

Chinese buyers who cannot visit Korea in person video-conference with Korean exporters for new food imports.

[Soundbite] Gong Xienting(Chinese Buyer) : "Korean and Chinese food culture share many similarities. Korean food has huge potential in the Chinese market."

K- food exports to China is expected to increase even more as the two sides mark the 30th anniversary of normalization of bilateral relations next year.