Sales of pickled Kimchi cabbage and packaged kimchi on the rise

[Anchor]

The price of Kimchi cabbage has recently turned to a downward trend.

However, due to the prolonged rise in prices, many people are worried ahead of the Kimjang season.

More consumers are opting to buy pickled cabbage in advance or packaged kimchi.

There are also suggestions that delaying the Kimjang a bit could be a solution.

Reporter Lee Rang has covered the changes brought about by the so-called "golden Kimchi cabbage."

[Report]

Today (10.25), a large supermarket has started pre-orders for pickled Kimchi cabbage.

["We are giving away 3,000 e-money points per box."]

More than 100 people lined up 30 minutes before the registration started, and those who arrived late were worried they might not be able to make a reservation.

[Ahn Aaron/Seoul resident: "I thought I need to rush to the store at opening hour to be able to buy it. (The price of Kimchi cabbage) seems to be more expensive this year, so I came because I heard there was a sale."]

[Park Seong-ok/Seoul resident: "Oh, I never imagined there would be such a long line. I thought it would be quick, but I'm worried about it being sold out."]

This company has prepared 70,000 boxes, increasing by 10,000 from last year, but nearly 90% of the prepared quantity was reserved in just one day.

Other retailers accepting reservations for pickled Kimchi cabbage are experiencing similar situations.

In convenience stores, sales have more than doubled compared to the same period last year as of the 23rd of this month, and supermarkets have seen an increase of over 70%.

As more people prefer to buy rather than make it themselves due to high prices, sales of packaged kimchi have also surged.

[GS Shop sales broadcast: "Why did I put on these plastic gloves? I haven't even touched kimchi. What? It's completely sold out?"]

In this company's three sales broadcasts conducted this month, thousands of sets of packaged kimchi were sold out within about five minutes of starting.

[Noh Ho-young/Director of Horticultural Observation, Korea Rural Economic Institute: "(In November) as the shipment volume increases, prices are expected to drop significantly from the current level, so the price of cabbage for Kimjang is expected to stabilize compared to now."]

Experts explained that since autumn Kimchi cabbage is already being shipped, delaying the Kimjang until prices stabilize could also be an alternative.

This is Lee Rang from KBS News.