K-food exports reach $10 billion at record pace this year: data

Packages of "ramyeon," or instant noodles, are seen at a large discount store in central Seoul, Sept. 22. Yonhap

Korea's exports of food and agro products surpassed the $10 billion mark in the shortest amount of time this year, industry data showed Wednesday.

Total exports of agro-fisheries goods topped $10 billion as of Monday, more than two weeks earlier than the previous year, according to the data from the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. (aT).

By destination, exports to the United States accounted for the most, at $1.7 billion, marking a 15.3 percent on-year spike.

Exports to Europe surged 15.8 percent from a year earlier to $772 million.

Shipments to the Gulf Cooperation Council, comprising six countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, increased 9.6 percent over the cited period to $296 million.

By item, "ramyeon" was the most popular export item, with over $1.1 billion worth of instant noodles shipped overseas as of Monday, up 24.7 percent on-year.

Dried seaweed products — known in Korean as "gim" — were another bestseller, with their exports swelling 14.1 percent from the previous year to $877 million.

Exports of Korean sauces, such as the spicy "gochujang," increased 9.2 percent on-year to $315 million. The trade agency attributed the rise to a growing number of restaurants serving Korean cuisine overseas amid the global popularity of Korean culture.

It said it will continue to work with the government to help K-food exporters address issues related to the United States' sweeping tariffs while utilizing its overseas networks to expand their consumer reach.