Browse Data and Analysis

Sections Updated: Section I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, X and Appendix II

This report includes technical information and certificate requirements for food and agricultural product exports to the Republic of Korea.

After reaching a five-year high in 2024, Korea’s potato production will return to average levels in 2025.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health and Mass Media extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Trans Fat) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health and Mass Media extended the implementation effective date of the Food (Color Coding for Sugar Levels-Liquids) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025.

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s (Sri Lanka) Ministry of Health and Mass Media extended the implementation date of Food (Labeling and Advertising) Regulations (2022) from January 1, 2025 to July 1, 2025, except Regulations 13 (16), 13 (17), 13 (18), and 14.

On January 14, 2025, Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) published new import health requirements (IHRs) for pet food, which are effective immediately. With the new IHRs, there is now a pathway to approve U.S. pet food products containing ruminant ingredients, which had been banned since 2003.

On December 31, 2024, Korea issued its flexible tariff Adjustment and Tariff Rate Quota list for certain agricultural, forestry and fishery products for calendar year (CY) 2025.

Chocolate is a popular product in the Korean market, with 2023 sales reaching $578 million and imports of chocolate totaling $356 million.

Korean imports of cheese products continue to grow, seeing a five percent compound annual growth rate over the last five years. Mozzarella is the most imported cheese product and the United States is the leading supplier of cheese to Korea.

Korea’s beer imports reached $218 million in 2023, up 11.8 percent from $195 million in 2022, but still 30 percent down from the record high of $310 million in 2018. Although Korea’s beer imports have been decreasing since the pandemic, the United States increased exports of beer to Korea in 2023, reaching $17.9 million, up 43% from $12.5 million in 2022.

E-commerce is one of the largest retail channels and an essential component of the overall consumer market in Korea. Food related online sales in 2023 including food, agricultural products, and food delivery services was once again the largest category, occupying about 30 percent of the total online sales for three consecutive years.