Global demand for kimchi continues to increase, and South Korean exports are on course to reach a new high in 2025. At the same time, domestic consumption is increasingly supplied by imported kimchi, mainly from China.
According to trade data from the Korea Customs Service, cumulative kimchi exports in 2025 reached US$137.39 million as of October, up 2 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier. Over the same ten-month period, imports totaled US$159.46 million, an increase of 3.1 per cent, exceeding export growth.
As a result, the kimchi trade balance remains negative. The deficit widened by 10.3 per cent year on year to US$22.07 million.
Kimchi, a fermented vegetable product consumed with most meals in South Korea, remains a central part of food culture on the Korean Peninsula. There are more than 150 recognised varieties, produced using vegetables such as radish, cucumber, and spring onions, combined with chili powder, garlic, ginger, and fermented seafood paste. Regional climate and consumption patterns continue to shape production.
Domestic consumption habits are shifting. Single-person households have more than tripled since 2000 and now represent over 36 per cent of all households. At the same time, fewer consumers are producing kimchi at home, increasing reliance on commercial supply.
Price remains the main factor behind rising imports. Officials point to persistent inflation and higher domestic cabbage prices, driven by extreme weather conditions, as reasons for increased demand for lower-priced Chinese-made kimchi.
Imports of Chinese kimchi reached a record value of US$189.86 million in 2024, up 16.1 per cent compared with 2023. Exports in 2024 totaled US$163.57 million, double the level recorded in 2017. Export values have increased steadily in recent years, reaching US$148.12 million in 2022, US$155.6 million in 2023, and setting a new record in 2024.
Japan remains the leading export destination for South Korean kimchi, with imports worth US$47.55 million as of October. The United States followed with imports valued at US$36.01 million, down 5.8 per cent. In Europe, the Netherlands imported US$7.97 million, a decline of 3.3 per cent. Canada imported US$7.63 million, an increase of 17.6 per cent, while imports into Australia edged up to US$6.68 million.
Source: ChinaDaily
