South Korea is targeting a record $16 billion in exports of food and agricultural products this year, the agriculture minister declared Monday, highlighting the sector’s emergence as a key export growth factor.
“Despite an unfavorable trade environment, such as tariff and non-tariff measures, Korea achieved an all-time high in exports in the ‘K-Food Plus’ sector last year, thanks to the popularity of Korean food,” Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said.
If achieved, the target would represent a 17.5% year-on-year increase from $13.62 billion in 2025, the highest export total ever recorded for the nation’s farm and food sector.
Song noted that the government has set a $16 billion export target for the K-Food Plus sector in 2026 and pledged support for domestic food companies to grow internationally, including region-specific export strategies.
Additionally, the government has set up a new help desk to handle communication with Washington on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards for agricultural imports.
Established within the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, the ‘U.S. desk’ is intended to enhance bilateral dialogue between the two countries and speed up the required processes for Seoul’s agricultural exports to the U.S., though Song clarified that the processes cannot be simplified.
The minister stated that no talks have taken place regarding further opening of South Korea’s agricultural market, an issue reportedly brought up during last year’s tariff negotiations between the countries.
Seoul officials also affirmed that the trade agreement reached in October did not cover any measures for expanded access to Korea’s agro-livestock sector.
Concerning the recent outbreak of avian influenza, Song stated that the ministry will also make efforts to contain the disease, which has been contributing to rising egg prices.
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