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.

While per capita grain consumption in Korea remains steady, or declining in the case of rice, increased manufacturing of K-food for exports drives total consumption, offsetting decreases in other sectors.

FAS/Seoul forecasts 2025 Korean cattle production and slaughter will drop to 951,000 head and 1,078,000 head respectively. FAS/Seoul forecasts 2025 beef imports to dip to 574,000 metric tons (MT).

Although domestic soybean production is forecast to reach a 20-year high in marketing year (MY) 2025/26, Korea will remain dependent on imports for 89 percent of total supply.

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.

The Korean government revised its marketing year (MY) 2024/25 rice production estimate down to reflect a 2-percent yield reduction from extreme heat, untimely rains, and pest damage.

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.