Ramyeon powers South Korea’s K-food exports to record high of $17.5 billion

SEOUL – Exports of K-Food+ – the catch-all label for Korean food and agricultural industries – climbed to a record US$13.6 billion (S$17.49 billion) in 2025, lifted by a widening global appetite for Korean flavours and farm know-how, government data showed on Jan 12.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, estimated K-Food+ exports in 2025 rose 5.1 per cent on-year to an all-time high of US$13.62 billion, of which food products accounted for US$10.41 billion and agricultural industries US$3.22 billion.

Food exports rose 4.3 per cent from 2024 to break past the US$10 billion mark, extending their expansion for the 10th straight year.

Ramyeon led the charge, becoming the first single food item to

exceed US$1.5 billion in annual exports

. Rising global demand, expanded production and a more stable supply chain drove the growth, the ministry noted, as sales surged not only in China and the US but also in Central Asia and the Middle East.

China was the largest market at US$385 million, followed by the US at US$255 million.

Ramyeon has settled into its role as one of South Korea’s steadiest exports, and its makers are quietly broadening their production base.

Nongshim, with facilities at home and abroad, is building an export-only factory in Busan, while Samyang is constructing its first overseas plant in China. Otoki, known for its Jin Ramen product, established its US unit in 2025 and is moving ahead with plans to build a plant in California by 2027.

Besides instant noodles, eleven other products, including sauces, ice cream and fresh produce, also reached all-time highs.

Sauces, riding on the popularity of Korean spicy flavours, reached US$412 million, up 4.6 per cent on-year. Ice cream crossed the US$100-million line for the first time, thanks to vegan, low-fat and zero-sugar variations.

Amid export growth across major markets, the US remained the largest, with shipments rising 13.2 per cent to a record US$1.8 billion, followed by China at US$1.59 billion. Europe posted a 13.6 per cent increase to US$774 million, while exports to Gulf countries jumped 22.6 per cent to US$412 million.

According to the ministry, ramyeon, sauces and ice cream drove much of the growth across these markets, while Europe in particular saw rising demand for health supplements, kimchi and rice-based foods.

Meanwhile, agricultural industries also posted their strongest performance in 2025, as exports climbed 8 per cent to US$3.22 billion on solid demand for farm machinery, pesticides, fertilisers, seeds and veterinary medicines. Leading the category was farm machinery, which rose 10.8 per cent to US$1.35 billion on a broader product line-up in the US and expansion into Asian and European markets.

“Even in a challenging trade environment, we delivered a record result on the back of strong global interest in K-food and the competitiveness of K-Food+ products,” said Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung.

“The government has set a US$16 billion export target for K-Food+ in 2026 and will back companies so competitive products can expand globally.”

In December, the South Korean government launched a K-food export strategy focused on developing distinctive products, easing business hurdles and expanding into promising markets such as the Middle East. It plans to launch market entry projects involving multiple companies and step up support for overseas certification and compliance. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK