Korean Food Gains Popularity Around the World
(2011.06.23)

Overseas buyers give Gyeonggi Province produce a thumbs up.

Gyeonggi Province (Governor Kim Moon-soo) hosted the “Export Consulting and Export Contract Signing Ceremony” at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex at 18:00 on June 24 and signed contracts worth USD 11 million with agrifood buyers from nine different countries.

The contracts were the result of a four-day event held from June 22 with twelve buyers from nine countries — including Argentina, New Zealand, and China — in a bid to promote local agrifoods in collaboration with the Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation’s Gyeonggi Province branch. The contracts were worth almost twice as much as 2010’s USD 5.92 million.

The event, hosted by Gyeonggi Province annually between May and June, invites overseas buyers to examine excellent local produce and sign contracts on the spot. This year’s event was the 13th since it began in 2005, when ninety buyers from fifty-seven countries visited to sign contracts worth USD 97.82 million in total.

Minhan Trading from Vietnam bought dry seaweed, ginseng, and tea from Sanggyeongbina Co. Ltd., while Cheonsa Mart from the UAE bought USD 2 million and USD 1.5 million of noodles and rice cakes, respectively. (See contract scale by nation and company below.)

A Chinese businessman who agreed to purchase Korean tea said, “Traditional Korean tea is very popular in China, but it was hard for me to find a good manufacturer. Thanks to this event, I was able to examine the quality with my own eyes and sign a contract on the spot. I am confident it will do well back home.”

Kim Jeong-Han, Director of the Agricultural Administration Bureau, remarked at the signing ceremony that “This event is proof of Gyeonggi Province’s potential in the international market. We will continue our efforts until we become one of the best agrifood exporters in the world.”

The buyers also took time to visit superior manufacturers and agricultural good distribution centers during their stay in Korea in order to observe the process in person.

They went to see rice cakes being made at the Hwaseong Rice Cake Cluster and tried making Korean red pepper paste and hot tomato stir-fried rice cakes t

hemselves before enjoying the results as a meal. They were especially impressed with the scale and advanced processing techniques. The spicy stir-fried rice cakes were particularly popular among Southeast Asian buyers.

Lihong Sseonring, a Vietnamese buyer who tasted some of Baehaejungdoga Co., Ltd‘s new violet makgeolli, said, “The deep pink color makes this wine-like drink taste sweeter than it actually is. I love it!”

The buyers went on to visit the Suwon produce distribution center, the largest and most modern of all such facilities in Korea, and its G-mark corner with products certified by the governor of the province. 

Inquiries: Agricultural Product & Distribution Division +82-31-8008-4417 

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