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Agriculture minister pledges to boost food exports, diversify markets as K-culture drives global interest

Published: 09 Feb. 2026, 16:19 Updated: 09 Feb. 2026, 18:41

Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung speaks to reporters in a regular press briefing at the government complex in the central city of Sejong on Feb. 9. [YONHAP]

The government will continue its efforts to boost the country's food exports this year, Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said Monday, also vowing increased efforts to develop new overseas markets for Korean products amid the growing global popularity of K-culture.

Song highlighted the Middle East and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as potentially prominent new overseas markets for Korean food products.

The minister's remarks followed her trips to the UAE and Singapore last month, which were aimed at promoting Korean food products in those countries.

“When I visited Gulfood, I saw many locals who said they became interested in K-food through K-dramas,” Song said, referring to the food and beverage trade show held annually in Dubai.

The agriculture ministry earlier said it has signed a series of memorandums of understanding worth a combined $8 million with foreign buyers at this year's Gulfood.

In Singapore, Song said she saw great potential for Korean beef and pork exports, as the country recently began importing beef and pork from Korea's southern resort island of Jeju.

The ministry has set a yearly export target of $16 billion for the food and agriculture sector this year, which would mark an impressive 17.5 percent on year spike from the all-time high of $13.62 billion posted in 2025.

K-food exports increased 12.6 percent on year to $830 million in January, according to Song.

The ministry launched a task force for upgrading the country's food export strategy last week, also designating key export items for different markets, such as kimchi in the United States, halal food in the Middle East and Asean and persimmons in China.

Regarding domestic issues, Song said the government will distribute 170,000 tons of seasonal goods heavily consumed during the Lunar New Year holiday, which is about 1.7 times higher than the normal level, for the stable supply of agro-livestock products.

The extended Lunar New Year holiday is set to run from Saturday to Feb. 18.

Song said the prices of agricultural products are generally stable, with livestock-related goods showing higher prices due to the spread of contagious animal diseases such as avian influenza this winter.

Yonhap