Gov't seeks to expand kimchi exports to China

By Park Jae-hyuk

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) said Friday that four kimchi companies in Gangwon Province have signed a deal with Wanda Group to export 100 tons of the side dish to its department stores in China. The agreement with one of China’s largest conglomerates was signed Wednesday and is worth 405 million won ($404,000). The first shipment of seven tons was sent Friday and others will continue through the end of the year.

This is the first large-scale kimchi export to China since 2010 when Beijing blocked them after it strengthened sanitary guidelines.

The guidelines demanded the number of coliform bacillus in kimchi be fewer than 30 per 100 grams, the same as Chinese traditional pickle “pao cai.”

But Korean kimchi was unable to meet the requirement because it was made with raw vegetables and the guidelines considered lactobacillus in fermented kimchi as coliform bacillus.

Only a small amount of boiled and fried kimchi could be exported to China, with the guidelines working as a non-tariff barrier.

Previous shipments resumed after Seoul and Beijing agreed at a summit in October last year to ease the regulation. But only 31 tons, worth $121,000, had been exported as of July this year.

“Korean kimchi sold in China is nine times more expensive than Chinese kimchi,” said the MAFRA official. “But Chinese consumers cannot distinguish the taste between premium kimchi produced in Korea and Chinese factory-made kimchi.”

The official said the government will promote the excellence of Korean kimchi to expand exports by 500 tons next year.

“Korean kimchi is made with better sun-dried salt, cabbage and red pepper powder,” the official said. “We will broadcast a documentary covering the excellence of Korean kimchi on China Central Television (CCTV) in November. Also, we will advertise Korean kimchi on Chinese television and offer Korean cooking classes in China.”