The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Chinese hackers attack 12 Korean academic institutions: KISA

  • 3

    Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night

  • 5

    From period to action: different genre series set for February

  • 7

    More than dozen chaebol scions indicted on alleged drug use

  • 9

    Campaign launched to respect multicultural families, foreign nationals

  • 11

    Netmarble debuts virtual girl group MAVE:

  • 13

    Korea's move to cut subsidies on imported EVs faces backlash

  • 15

    ANALYSISChina's reopening to help ease inventory woes

  • 17

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 19

    Seoul subway, bus fares to rise by 300 or 400 won

  • 2

    Koreans stunned by spike in heating costs

  • 4

    Heavy snow hits Seoul, surrounding areas

  • 6

    Chinese hackers threaten to attack S. Korean cybersecurity watchdog

  • 8

    Cold wave warnings issued across Korea; Seoul witnesses coldest day

  • 10

    Why Korea imports so much kimchi from China

  • 12

    Center offers free STI testing to foreign residents of Korea

  • 14

    Cargo ship carrying 22 sinks off Jeju, 14 rescued but 9 unconscious

  • 16

    Lawmaker pushes for bill requiring women to join civil defense training

  • 18

    Major Korean banks' overseas branches sanctioned by foreign authorities

  • 20

    Yoon calls for adjusting regulatory, labor systems to global standards

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Fri, January 27, 2023 | 17:14
Companies
Why Korea imports so much kimchi from China
Posted : 2023-01-25 17:15
Updated : 2023-01-26 14:07
Kim Jae-heun
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Lower prices behind soaring imports of country's staple food

By Kim Jae-heun

A 59-year-old housewife surnamed Lee has recently begun purchasing kimchi products made in China because they are cheaper than locally made ones.

"As living costs rise in all aspects, I have been looking to cut expenses in any possible areas and food is one of them. Before, I would buy kimchi products made in Korea only," Lee said. "But because their prices went up too high, I have been getting Chinese products these days, which are much cheaper."

A 35-year-old restaurant owner surnamed Kim changed the kimchi served at his store from Korean to Chinese too.

"Kimchi products made in China cost just one-fifth what local kimchi costs. People don't come to my restaurant for kimchi anyways, so I decided to change it to Chinese," Kim said.

Korea's kimchi imports last year recorded an all-time high of $169.4 million (208.8 billion won), up by 20.4 percent, year-on-year.

According to the Korea Customs Service, the growth rate of kimchi imports was the highest in 12 years since 2010. The volume of kimchi imports increased from $130 million in 2019 to $150 million in 2020, but decreased to $140 million in 2021 due to a controversial Weibo video that showed what looked like kimchi being made in China with an excavator and a man standing in the pool of kimchi.

In this screenshot of a Weibo video from March 29, a man who appears to be naked wades in a pool of cabbage and grabs some of the vegetables soaked in a murky liquid while an excavator stirs them at a kimchi factory in China. Korea Times file

However, as the prices of kimchi ingredients such as cabbage and red pepper powder soared last year ― which led to a 10 percent price increase in locally made kimchi items ― people started to look for less expensive Chinese kimchi.

Both Daesang and CJ CheilJedang raised the prices of their kimchi products by 10 percent.

In 2022, Korea imported Chinese kimchi products at an average of $643 per ton, which is 18.8 percent of the cost of Korean kimchi products exported at $3,425 per ton.

While Korea has increased its kimchi imports from China gradually over the last few years, its kimchi exports declined by 11.9 percent last year. The Korea Customs Service said it is the first time in seven years that the country saw a decrease in kimchi exports.

Kimchi exports surged from $144.9 million in 2019 to $144.5 million in 2020 and $159.9 million in 2021.



Emailjhkim@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Koreans stunned by spike in heating costsKoreans stunned by spike in heating costs
2Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night Homeless women struggle to find place to spend night
3People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
4Inflation weighs on households Inflation weighs on households
5Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying Netflix series 'The Glory' draws focus to real school bullying
6'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book 'I was a stock investment addict': psychiatrist seeks to help addicted people through his book
7[INTERVIEW] Partnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery INTERVIEWPartnerships with Korean companies help Delta Air Lines' post-pandemic recovery
8Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters Korea's GDP shrinks 0.4% in Q4, 1st contraction in 10 quarters
9Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar Gov't to double subsidies for vulnerable households as energy bills soar
10S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions S. Korea to increase joint air defense exercises following N. Korean drone incursions
Top 5 Entertainment News
1From period to action: different genre series set for FebruaryFrom period to action: different genre series set for February
2Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
3Miguel Chevalier's psychedelic digital universe takes audience participation to next level Miguel Chevalier's psychedelic digital universe takes audience participation to next level
4Yun Hyong-keun's hanji works come under spotlight in Paris for first timeYun Hyong-keun's hanji works come under spotlight in Paris for first time
5Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E' Kim Hyun-joo says humanity is at heart of action film 'Jung_E'
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group