agriculture ministry-food exports

▲ Foreigners shop for instant noodle products at a supermarket in Seoul on Jan. 12, 2026. (Yonhap)

agriculture ministry-food exports

Gov't designates 145 companies to lead S. Korea's food exports

SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- The government has selected 145 prominent and emerging companies to spearhead South Korea's food exports, the agriculture ministry said Thursday, as global demand for Korean cuisine is rapidly growing in line with the popularity of Korean culture.

The companies will participate in the Global Next K-food Project led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which is designed to help boost K-food exports, according to ministry officials.

The project seeks to encourage large businesses to form alliances with small and medium-sized firms to jointly develop and promote food products targeting overseas markets.

The ministry says the project will especially seek to boost exports of traditional Korean liquor, halal-certified K-food products, street food, functional food and fruits, among others.

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

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