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Kimchi exports expected to hit all-time high in 2025: Customs data

Published: 24 Nov. 2025, 11:30

At a major supermarket in Seoul on Jan. 8, kimchi is displayed on the shelves. [YONHAP]

Korea's kimchi exports are expected to hit an all-time high this year amid rising global demand for Korean food, customs data showed Monday.

Overseas sales of kimchi, a traditional Korean side dish typically made from cabbage, reached $137.39 million in the first 10 months of 2025, up 2 percent from $134.67 million recorded over the same period last year, according to data by the Korea Customs Service.

Imports of kimchi rose 3.1 percent on year to $159.46 million from $154.59 million over the 10-month period.

At the current pace, full-year exports are expected to surpass the previous record of $163.57 million set in 2024, backed by continued global interest in Korean cuisine.

Japan remained the largest buyer of Korean kimchi, importing $47.55 million worth from January to October, up 4.4 percent from a year earlier.

Exports to the United States fell 5.8 percent on year to $36.01 million, while shipments to the Netherlands declined 3.3 percent to $7.97 million.

Yonhap