Trade barriers still bog down K-food firms: lobby group head
Summary
Korea Food Industry Association chairman Park Jin-sun said trade barriers abroad are still holding back K-food firms’ export growth in Seoul on Tuesday. He said member companies face tariffs, customs, certificate requirements and food regulations in foreign markets, along with supply-chain problems and weaker won conditions. KFIA will launch a Food Firm Support Center next month to advise companies on business challenges, and Park said Africa and India are promising markets.
Key Facts
- Park Jin-sun was speaking at a press conference in Seoul marking his first year as chairman of the Korea Food Industry Association.
- He said KFIA represents more than 190 small to large food manufacturers, including CJ CheilJedang, Daesang, Otoki, Nongshim, Samyang Foods and Lotte Wellfood.
- KFIA plans to launch the Food Firm Support Center next month, with consultations available by phone, online and through on-site visits.
- Park said member companies have been discussing alternative trade routes for ingredients, materials and product shipping since the onset of the Middle East crisis.
- He described Africa and India as promising overseas markets for K-food firms and said a business-to-business matching event in Egypt drew stronger local interest than expected.
Visitors taste Nongshim products at its booth at the 2026 K-Expo Mexico, held at the World Trade Center International Convention and Exhibition Center in Mexico City from Thursday to Sunday. Courtesy of Nongshim
Korean food manufacturers, despite K-food’s growing presence in global markets, continue to face hurdles from overseas trade barriers that constrain further export growth, according to the head of the country’s major food industry lobby group, Tuesday.
Park Jin-sun, chairman of the Korea Food Industry Association (KFIA), said difficulties faced by the group’s member companies ranged from tariff to custom, certificates and food regulations in foreign markets. Global supply chains that prevent Korea’s imports of necessary materials for the industry also posed a threat.
Issues related to food safety, production technologies, eligibility for government subsidy programs and sustainable operation practices were also major concerns for the companies.
Korea Food Industry Association (KFIA) Chairman Park Jin-sun speaks during a press conference marking his first year as head of the lobby group at its headquarters in Seoul's Seocho District, Tuesday. Courtesy of KFIA
“We have witnessed rising crude oil prices worldwide, tightening naphtha supplies, disrupting packaging operations and a weakening Korean won,” Park said during a press conference in Seoul marking his first year as chairman.
“Not just our importers, our exporters seeking to expand their global markets also suffered from various trade barriers. We have identified those barriers that are still abound now. Those barriers can only be resolved through government-to-government talks. We, as a lobby group for the companies, will start being more aggressive in tackling those barriers from now on.”
KFIA is joined by over 190 small- to large-size food manufacturers here. Big name exporters such as CJ CheilJedang, Daesang, Otoki, Nongshim, Samyang Foods and Lotte Wellfood are among the members.
Next month, KFIA will launch the Food Firm Support Center to provide member and nonmember companies with advice on business challenges that Park mentioned. Consultations will be available by phone and online, as well as through on-site visits.
“Following the onset of the Middle East crisis, our member companies and the government have been discussing and trying to find alternative trade routes for ingredients, materials and product shipping,” he said.
“Many of the challenges food companies face in the field can only be addressed by experts who understand the food industry. We will operate the center with a strong focus on their practical needs so that it can become the most reliable point of contact for food companies.”
On the potential of overseas markets, Park pointed to Africa and India as promising destinations for K-food companies.
“Africa will be an enormous market with a great export potential for K-food firms within the next 10 years. At a recent business-to-business matching event in Egypt joined by 16 K-food firms, we witnessed a greater volume of local interests than we had expected,” he said.
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