Food export value in South Korea 2012-2021

In 2021, the export value of South Korean food amounted to around 9.46 billion U.S. dollars, up from approximately 7.98 billion dollars in the previous year. While the export value of food from Korea has risen throughout the years, the export price index was also elevated compared to the baseline set in 2015.

 Food production in South Korea

As of 2021, there were over 30 thousand food manufacturers and processors in South Korea. Although the number of food manufacturing businesses has stagnated during the last three years, it was still greatly increased compared to earlier years. The large majority of these establishments were located in the Gyeonggi province, which surrounds the capital city Seoul. With increased demand, as well as increased means of production, it is no wonder that the value of food produced in South Korea has also been on the rise.

 What type of food is exported?

Among the food products exported from South Korea, oil-fried noodles were clearly in the leading position, with more than double the value of the second-placed processed fishery products. Kimchi products, Korea's most famous side dish, also managed to rank among the top ten exported food items. Alongside noodles and Kimchi, various food product exports are those needed for the preparation of other globally popular Korean dishes, such as condiments and gim, which is dried seaweed.