Covering the food & beverage industry, beauty, fashion, retail markets, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and related people and entities worldwide
Breweries to pull Korean tourism following K-Chicken Belt
A map of selected traditional breweries in Korea and their products / Courtesy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
By Ko Dong-hwan
69 traditional liquor makers now on map
The country’s selected traditional breweries have emerged as a new pillar of the government’s efforts to promote domestic tourism.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Thursday unveiled a list of 69 traditional liquor makers nationwide, offering a range of products from soju and makgeolli to wine and liqueurs.
The ministry said the initiative goes beyond simply introducing the breweries, as it aims to promote regional economies by highlighting local tourist attractions near the selected venues.
Alongside the brewery list, the ministry released a separate guide organized by province, featuring local heritage sites, signature dishes, specialty agricultural products and recommended transportation options for visitors.
By cross-referencing the two lists, tourists can choose breweries to visit and extend their trips by exploring nearby attractions and local specialties.
For example, visitors to Haechang Brewery in Haenam County, South Jeolla Province, can also visit Bulhoesa Temple in nearby Naju and try fermented skate, known for its pungent ammonia-like aroma, as well as sweet potatoes.
The initiative is the ministry’s latest effort to promote the country’s traditional breweries by selecting outstanding producers and encouraging local governments to support them.
The ministry is also seeking to open a dedicated gallery for traditional breweries at Doota Mall in the Dongdaemun Design Plaza area of Seoul, operate pop-up stores at select KTX stations and stock the products at StoryWay convenience stores inside train stations operated by state-run Korea Railroad.
It is also encouraging Korean diplomatic missions overseas to use products from the selected breweries at international events and other official functions.
The government’s traditional brewery selection program, which involves recommendations from local governments and qualification evaluations, began in 2013 with two breweries and has expanded steadily over the years.
The latest brewery list follows the ministry’s unveiling last month of the K-Chicken Belt, a vetted list of chicken restaurants and local attractions known for chicken dishes nationwide, as part of efforts to boost regional tourism.